Blog

Category: Travel

Eben Weiss visits Vancouver

by Danielle
Environment + Reference + Sports + Travel + Vancouver / April 22, 2012

We had the pleasure of meeting Eben Weiss (aka BikeSnob USA) last week while he was in Vancouver for his book tour. By 'we' I mean my boyfriend and myself. I had to do it cause it's my job. The BF on the other hand took time off work to tag along for fun. Not that I minded this particular working day because we rode bikes all day and it's our fave thing to do!

For those of you who don't know who Eben Weiss is, he writes the emencely popular blog bikesnousa and wrote a couple of books.

 

 

We had met him at his hotel where we all biked over the Caffé Musette for a nice cup of coffee and some snacks while we waited for legendary Amy Walker and her crew to get suited and booted for their Eben interview for bicycle.com.

Essentially they ride around town showing people riding in
real-life situations - on the streets, trails and bike routes of our city from the back of a Yuba Mundo cargo bike. It looks pretty tricky to handle but these two had the down packed.

After a couple hours of riding around beautiful Vancouver (oh and the weather was awesome btw!) we were starved so stopped for few tacos at Taqueria before heading over to Bike Dr. for the group ride.

We ended the night at Chapters where Eben answered questions from the crowd and signed stock. We talked about everything from biking and rainbows to religion and salmoning. (Grab the book, you'll know what I mean after reading it)

Following morning Eben graced our local TV waves at BT. Here's the link.

I'm pleading to get Eben up to Toronto.
I'll keep you all posted on if and when that happens.

Happy riding!

---

Lonely Planet New Country Guide Apps

by Natalia
Travel / April 18, 2012

It's always fun to see the interesting ways that Lonely Planet is expanding into the app marketplace.  Their offline translation apps are some of the niftier apps I've ever heard of—real-time translation on the go in the foreign country?  The future is here, people!

Lonely Planet is now launching a series of new country guide apps, available as stand-alones and within the Lonely Planet Travel Guides app.  Speaking as someone who's lugged her heavy Lonely Planet Ireland halfway across the country and back, I couldn't be more excited about this expansion.

Check it out in the app store!

---

Win a copy of the World’s Best Street Food

by Natalia
Food & Drink + Travel / April 09, 2012

The street is where you'll find the heart of a cuisine and a culture—somewhere among the taco carts and noodle stalls, the scent of wood fires and the hubbub of fellow diners.  It's the most democratic food in the world, gratifying and completely delicious!

Head on over to Zoomer where you can win a copy of Lonely Planet's The World's Best Street Food.  View some of the tempting treats you could be enjoying here!

 

---

The Enlightened Cyclist Group Ride & Chapters Event April 12th

by Danielle
Events + Health & Wellness + Travel / March 21, 2012

Please join Bike Snob NYC (a.k.a. Eben Weiss) and the Bike Doctor for The Enlightened Cyclist Group Ride Thursday, April 12th, 2012 - Starting at Bike Doctor on Broadway at 6:15PM

The Ride:
We'll meet up at 137 W Broadway at Bike Doctor at 5:45 for a 45 minute ride starting at 6:15pm around town. Finish off at Chapters on Broadway/Granville for a chat with Eben at 7.

The Event:
7PM - Chapters - 2505 Granville Street
Bike Snob NYC (a.k.a. Eben Weiss) is the blogger behind the immensely popular cycling blog, bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com. Join us at Chapters as he signs his new book, The Enlightened Cyclist, and shares his humorous perspective on the joys, trials and triumphs of bike commuting.

Please contact Danielle Johnson, Publicist at Raincoast Books
604 448 7163 or email danielle [at] raincoast.com for more information.

See you there!

---

Lonely Planet releases free Christchurch download

by Natalia
Travel / January 26, 2012

One of the things I like about working in the publishing industry is the long lead times: in an age of 24-hour newscasts and instantaneous gratification, publishers are unique in producing reflective, sustained, intelligent coverage of hot button issues.

But the glacial pace of traditional publishing has its drawbacks—I remember working on a book once that took a decade to move from conception to printing—and of course this is particularly problematic in travel publishing.

Case in point: Lonely Planet's 16th edition of the New Zealand travel guide is due to be published in September, but because it was written before last February's earthquake, the current edition is of limited use on the ground.

So this week Lonely Planet is releasing a free download of the Christchurch chapter on its website.  The chapter, researched by Brett Atkinson in December, is the first Christchurch guide to be released since the earthquake, and Lonely Planet is taking the unusual step of making it available eight months ahead of the guide's official release. 

Kudos to Lonely Planet for being nimble enough to get the most up-to-date post-quake travel information out to travellers as quickly as possible!

Any Canadian travellers planning a trip to New Zealand can find out more about the book here.

---

My Favourite Book of 2011: Pete (Sales)

by Pete
Travel / December 22, 2011

Favourite book of the year for me? It’s not cheating to take a paperback edition of a previous fave-of-the-year, but people will chirp so I’ll needlessly defend my choice by saying it’s packed with more incredible photographs, more solid content, and more countries…? No, not more countries, had them all last time and still does; Lonely Planet’s Travel Book 2^nd edition in paperback is still my pick of the year.

Being in sales I really love the numbers this beauty puts up in any edition, but it does so because it is epic and people immediately grasp that when they see it, and don’t want their coffee tables to look super lame so they buy it in droves. Lonely Planet is a truly inspiring company, and The Travel Book is distilled travel inspiration. Tony Wheeler — the indomitable founder of Lonely Planet — sums this book up nicely: “It just reminds me how much of the world there is still to see” —  That's Tony Wheeler, Lonely Planet founder, 145 countries visited and counting ...

There is so much of the world to see, and I like to be reminded every time I pick this book up that I need to get out there and see more of it. It really is THE travel book.

PS: I’d also like to quickly remind anyone who hasn’t read Shantaram written by Gregory David Roberts and published by St. Martin’s to do so post-haste. It has fought off a lot of great fiction to stay in my top 10 for years. It’s an excellent read — if you like stories you’ll love it.

---

Intern Insights: A Raincoast Wishlist

by Janet
Picture Books + Travel + Vancouver + YA Fiction / December 13, 2011

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I hope you have all been enjoying Egg Nog Hot Chocolates (Crystal's creation) and gingerbread cheesecakes! My favourite things this season include lighting the Christmas tree, watching old holiday classics (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Elf etc.) and enjoying cheery tunes that bring back many memories.

It's easy to forget how to enjoy the season with holiday shopping and wallet stress but I've narrowed down ten of my favourite things with Raincoast to give you some ideas - whether it's a gift for someone else or for YOU!

Here's my “little” wish list:

 

1.  Moleskine:
   
   Who doesn’t love the feel of a new notebook waiting for your pen to scribble ideas and thoughts down? One of my top wishes from Moleskine, other than their pens, sketchbooks and new bag line, is their Passions Journal line. There’s one for everyone: the cinephile, the bookworm, the traveler etc.
   
   I definitely want the Book Journal, here’s a great YouTube trailer:
    
2. Zombie Lovers!
   First it was vampires, then werewolves and now everyone's current obsession is ZOMBIES!
   Raincoast offers two great books for anyone who is a zombie fanatic. First, is the humorous “Dead Inside” which is like PostSecret mixed with the Zombie Apocalypse.
   
   Then there's The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor, a back story graphic novel which explores one of the series' most sinister characters. (The Walking Dead is currently an acclaimed TV Series airing on AMC.)
   
    
3. Ivy & Bean Paper Doll Play Set: Some great gift ideas for any Ivy and Bean fan! There's the Paper Doll Play Set where you can play out your own Ivy and Bean scenarios or the Mini Notes set which combines creative stationary with your two favourite trouble makers!
   
   
   
   
   
    
4. Grandpa Green:
   What is greater than the gift of a good story and beautiful illustrations? Grandpa Green is a heartwarming book that you can give to anyone at any age. I am a personal fan of this book and think it would make a great gift for any loved one!
   
   The book trailer:
   
    
5. The Cheesemongers Kitchen: For any foodie or cheese fan is a fantastic cookbook with creative recipes for everyone's favourite dairy product: CHEESE!
   Recipes include delicacies like Foccacia with Venetian Black Truffle and Squash Tuscan Devil's Pecorino with honey. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
6. Your Playlist Can Change Your Life: For anyone looking for some inspiration or going through any life changing events I would recommend this lovely little book that states simply, music can change your life. 
    
7. The Art of Pixar: I don't know a single person who has not loved at least one Pixar movie. As storytellers they have transcended animation from being just for kids or families to anyone. They have rooted their characters, their art and their stories deeply in our hearts. I love this large book that shows you the making of their films:
   
    
8. Darker Still: Some good YA Fiction coming your way, this is a great read for anyone who enjoys sinister magic and fantastic situations. Imaginative and with an original concept this is a great stocking stuffer!
   
   "Many teens will be reeled in by the romance, but will also be left thinking about how different things were for women a century ago, trapped by gender and birthright. This smart novel will have wide appeal." (Shelf Awareness)
   
    
9. Animals With Hangovers:
   A great and humorous photobook of animals with HANGOVERS! Share this with the animal lover in your life, you know the one – they always forward you cute animals on YouTube or are constantly posting funny cat photos on Facebook.
   
   
   
   
   
    
10. Lonely Planet's Best of Travel 2012:
    Travel junkies will enjoy this book with its great tips and beautiful photography! The book includes:

• Lonely Planet ranks the top 10 countries, regions and cities to visit in 2012.
• The best travel experiences for the year ahead, from feeling the football fever in Ukraine to awaiting the Apocalypse on the Ruta Maya.
• Over 35 events mapped out month by month in the 2012 travel planner.

 

Happy Holidays!

---

Lonely Planet partners with UN to give relief workers vital information

by Natalia
News + Travel / October 03, 2011

There was lots of excitement in the office last Friday over some big news from Lonely Planet: in celebration of World Tourism Day, Lonely Planet is announcing a new partnership with the United Nations to provide information for first responders in humanitarian emergencies.  Staff from UN agencies deployed in the event of a disaster will be able to use Lonely Planet’s information to help them familiarize themselves with the country before traveling.

"Lonely Planet's expert content makes it easier for humanitarian workers to hit the ground running in unfamiliar environments," said Gwi-Yeop Son, Director of Corporate Programmes at OCHA. "We value Lonely Planet's commitment to provide accurate and up-to-the-minute information for our teams on the ground."
 

“Lonely Planet’s mission is to provide trustworthy and informative content about a destination,” said John Boris, Executive Vice President of Lonely Planet Americas.  “Our unique, in-depth information will empower the teams of humanitarian workers to learn quickly about the areas they are working in and the people they will be assisting.”

This is wonderful news, and a huge vote of confidence in the quality of Lonely Planet's information.  Congrats to Lonely Planet!

You can read more about the partnership here.

---

New Lonely Planet Translation apps!

by Natalia
News + Travel / September 28, 2011

This past week I’ve been on vacation in San Francisco, my first trip outside Canada in some time.   Heading back to work this morning through familiar streets, armed with my cell phone, bus pass, and a steaming mug of home-brewed coffee, I was struck by the conveniences of being a local.  The everyday practicalities of travel can be frustrating—tracking down wifi, finding a pay phone, dealing with public transit—all these small details of life which you wouldn’t give a second thought at home can become a big hassle in an unfamiliar city.

So I was excited when I heard about Lonely Planet’s latest offering to beleaguered travellers: The Lonely Planet Offline Translator, available on Android and iOs.  From the Lonely Planet folks:

The perfect travel companion, Lonely Planet Offline Translator acts as your own personal translator, providing bespoke translations based on what the user has typed or spoken into the phone. Unlike other language translation apps, Lonely Planet Offline Translator is completely offline, which means it can be used anywhere with no data/roaming fees or connection delays.

Initially launching in eight languages, the app translates words, phrases or whole sentences into immediate audio or text translations. Designed specifically for travelers, the app utilizes over 40,000 words for its translations. It also features a completely searchable dictionary.

I love travel apps, and this one sounds pretty nifty—to my mind, this make much more sense than lugging around a heavy dictionary everywhere you go.  What do you all think? Ever used the Lonely Planet apps abroad?

Happy travels everyone!

---

Win a Trip for Two to Paris!

by Dan
Contests + Travel / July 26, 2011

Psst... Do you know what this is? 

If you've got an idea about what exactly it might be, enter at Chapters-Indigo online for a chance to win a luxury trip for two to Paris (PARIS!) from Lonely Planet and Air Canada Vacations.

Not sure yet? Follow the clues through July 29th on the Chapters-Indigo Facebook page. They'll reveal more & more of the image each day!

(You can find the contest rules here)

---

Page 1 of 8 pages  1 2 3 >  Last »