Fat City: How to Cook Bologna's Classic Dishes

As of this week, the quickie, kitschy Las Vegas wedding will no longer be a 24/7 option. The local marriage license bureau is cutting back its hours, and will be open daily from 8 A.M. to midnight instead of around the clock. Britney Spears may wish the decision had come sooner. According to the Associated Press, officials said that fewer than 4 percent of licenses are issued during the overnight shift and hers--the marriage was annulled shortly afterwards--was one of them. Related links:   Podcast: 48 Hours in Vegas

On August 29, to mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, hundreds of restaurants nationwide will donate a portion of their sales to Share Our Strength's hurricane recovery fund. The money goes to efforts such as rebuilding New Orleans school cafeterias, financing summer meal programs, and assisting displaced restaurant workers. Search the online database (strength.org/restaurants/diners/) for restaurants in your city--Atlanta (Emeril's Atlanta, La Madeleine), Chicago (Landmark, Salpicon), New York (Gramercy Tavern, Nobu), and San Francisco (Indigo, Mecca), to name a few. If you can't make it out to dinner, there are still plenty of ways to make a contribution. If you subscribe to the Six O'Clock Scramble, a weekly newsletter highlighting fast, low-fat recipes, 50 percent of the subscription fee will be donated to Share Our Strength's hurricane relief work ($47.50 for one year; $26.50 for six months). Purchase a $25 gift certificate from restaurant.com, good for more than 7,000 restaurants, only costs $10 and half of that ($5) will go to Share Our Strength. The District Hogs, a group of Washington, D.C. chefs, rode 1,600 miles from D.C. to South Dakota in early August. You can still sponsor the riders, and all the money will be donated to Share Our Strength. Donate directly to Share Our Strength. For details on all these options, visit strength.org/restaurants/other/ or 800/969-4767. Related Stories:   "After the Storms" Louisiana Exhibition   Where to Eat, Stay, and Help in New Orleans   Free and Discounted Hotel Stays for Volunteers

John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Greetings! We're Paris Permenter and John Bigley, a husband-wife team of travel writers specializing in romantic travel. We look forward to answering your questions about destination weddings so let's get started... _______________________ Dallas, TX: I'm considering a Las Vegas wedding but want something other than the Elvis ceremony that I usually associate with Vegas weddings. Are there more elegant options in the city? John Bigley & Paris Permenter: That's a sure bet! Las Vegas has an increasingly large number of elegant options (although the city still offers plenty of small--even drive-through--wedding chapels as well). The casino hotels are home to some of the most elegant wedding venues in town. One of our favorites is the Bellagio; along with wedding chapels at the hotel, you can opt for a small wedding outdoors with the famous Bellagio fountains as your backdrop. You'll be able to select your music and the "dance" for the fountains, all timed to go off as you seal the marriage with a kiss. Another good option for small ceremonies is the top of Paris Las Vegas's Eiffel Tower, a beautiful choice with the city as a backdrop. For something very unusual, check out the pirate wedding at TI (formerly known as Treasure Island); "pirates" play a role in the wedding and can serve as ringbearer or even give the bride away. And if you'd like an historic touch to the ceremony, Excalibur has Renaissance costumes to transform you into a princess bride. _______________________ Eudora, KS: Our daughter is having a destination wedding May 26 in Mexico (Mayan Riviera). We will have aprox. 40 people attending. How do we arrange for get-togethers while we are there without incurring more expenses? We want to be able to meet and have good times together, but not spend more money since most everybody is on a budget. John Bigley & Paris Permenter: If all the guests will be staying at the same resort, your job will be simple. Your daughter will be able to work with the concierge to arrange special activities for the group which can range from a cocktail party to beach volleyball to a charter tour of the region (and you will qualify for group rates with many operators). If the guests are divided up across several resorts, especially all-inclusives, check into the possibility of purchasing day passes. Many all-inclusives sell day passes so that non-guests may experience the property for the day which would then allow you to set up activities on property. (Night passes are also available at some properties.) Also, look to some of the larger attractions in the area such as Xcaret as a possible day trip. Again, be sure to check for group rates. Finally, a nice touch is to put an itinerary in each guest's room, outlining the weekend's activities, suggested dress, pickup time, what to bring, etc. _______________________ Rincon Beach Resort in Anasco, PR: I am getting married on March 31, 2007 at Rincon Beach Resort in Anasco, PR. My family and I are from Puerto Rico and wanted it there for that reason, although we (and the groom and family) live in the US. I am looking to have a small wedding of less than 50 people. I am 33 and the groom is 34 years old. I was looking for help on finding a florist, photographer and videographer as the hotel does not provide that. How do you recommend that I search for good and reputable ones since we don't live there or know many people there? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I wanted to get it right and have no regrets. Thank you! John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. When the bride and groom don't live close enough to the wedding location for a pre-wedding site inspection, it can be especially important to hire the services of a local wedding planner. Although it might seem like the stuff of the rich and famous, you can talk with a local wedding planner about hiring her simply as a consultant for advice on local vendors. If your budget allows, you can hire the wedding planner for more extensive work including working with the vendors (and following up to make sure all will be in place for the event, especially important if your time on island will be brief before your wedding.) Best wishes! _______________________ Seattle, WA: If the bride's family was originally considering a traditional wedding, then changes to a destination wedding, who typically pays for the grandparents, groom's family, etc. to attend (airfare, hotel, etc.)? John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Typically everyone pays his or her own way to a destination wedding although, when finances allow, the bride and groom sometimes cover expenses for a special family member or a member of the wedding party who might not otherwise be able to attend. One way you can assist with the cost factor is to try to secure group discounts whenever possible. Talk with airlines and hotels about group discounts; guests will generally need to make their reservations through a special group booking number. _______________________ Knoxville, TN: Can you offer suggestions on islands or tropical locations that are tolerant of same sex union ceremonies? We are planning to make some sort of committment in the next few months and enjoy cruising and traveling through the carribean including Puerto Rico. John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Attitudes about same sex union ceremonies vary greatly from island to island within the Caribbean so your best bet for a ceremony is to look to the gay-friendly islands in the region. The US Virgin Islands (especially St. Croix), Sint Maarten, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico are all good choices. _______________________ Lake Forest, IL: We are trying to find a beach wedding location that isn't tuned to the tourist dollar or the wedding price-hike effect but which isn't on the other side of the planet (we love Zanzibar but cannot ask everyone to fly there). Every place we look at in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Florida is outrageously expensive, or seems like a deal until you start adding on all the "extras." Is there any such thing as a truly "secret" wedding destination place that isn't upmarketed by advertisements from Bridal magazines or other media sources that make it turn overnight into a high-end claim to wedding fame? John Bigley & Paris Permenter: It's tough to find a "hidden" destination in North America these days and, when you do find an out of the way property or remote island, you can often expect to pay extra charges in terms of transportation. Our suggestion: look to off season for good deals. If you have your heart set on a resort that you think might be out of your budget, ask about off season rates which are often less than half the high season rate. In the Caribbean, off season means mid-April through mid-December with the very cheapest rates falling during the height of hurricane season: September and October. Remember, however, that the region is a large one. Also, ask your resort about hurricane guarantees in case a storm interrupts your wedding plans. Also, consider less-visited locations on popular islands. For example, while Jamaica's Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are tops with bridal travelers, look to the quieter South Coast for small properties. You'll still have the benefit of low airfare thanks to the large number of tourists but you'll have the benefits of a smaller property. _______________________ Davie, FL: We have a destination wedding in Bodega Bay, California on Labor Day weekend. While we are there what should we do aside from the wineries? John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Save time for a walk on the beach (or even catch a wave if you can sneak away from the wedding festivities long enough.) There are many good art galleries in the region and the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa is a fun option if there are kids (or just "Peanuts" fans) in the wedding group. _______________________ Englewood, NJ: If you are attending a destination wedding, (air, hotel, car rental) and you have bought a substantial gift from the registry, are you still require to give a $ gift at the wedding? John Bigley & Paris Permenter: No; a gift from the registry counts as your gift (and oftentimes, the gift of your presence is all that's expected and hoped for at a destination wedding). _______________________ John Bigley & Paris Permenter: Well, it's about time to wrap up. Thanks for all your questions. You can always find us over at Lovetripper.com and our new Texas travel site, TexasTripper.com. Happy travels! Paris & John _______________________

Highlights from the September 2006 issue: Fairy Tales Do Come True In Germany, a number of genuine castles--turrets, hidden passages, the whole deal--are more than just romantic backdrops. They're hotels too Slide show: Castle Hotels of Germany Walk Like an Australian The Great Ocean Road has long been one of Australia's top attractions. But now there's an even better way to admire the southern shoreline: a 57-mile trail called the Great Ocean Walk 25 Best Places You've Never Heard Of Everyone wants to know about the "next great places." But rather than simply make up a list, we turned to the people who explore for a living. Get ready for a serious case of wanderlust (not to mention job envy) Plus: 25 Best interviews 20 Tips Find out how to protect a digital camera, and why you shouldn't take that camera to the Mint Trip Coach: Jamaica Two couples hope to scout wedding locations, pay tribute to a dear family member, and squeeze in time for jet skiing Read and download an excerpt from "The Destination Wedding Workbook" Sleep Tomorrow: Istanbul The Beyoglu neighborhood is coming alive with a bunch of engaging new nightspots The Sweet Little Guesthouses of Vieques The Puerto Rican island hasn't caught up to its Caribbean neighbors when it comes to lodging. All the more reason to visit right now This Just In! Find out what's happening around the globe, from Carnaval in Rio to outdoor performances in Colonial Williamsburg Off the Grid: Boondockers These RV enthusiasts park together in remote spots, forming temporary settlements Trendspotting: Haute Diners Creative chefs across the country are reinterpreting the greasy spoon. Say good-bye to grits and hello to quinoa Read an excerpt from "Two for the Road" (including recipes!) Hot Property: Hotel deLuxe Portland's new hotel takes its inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood A Guide to Flight Passes Flight passes sound like they should make planning a multileg trip easier, but that's not necessarily so Upsold Down the River Some companies are tempting travel agents into signing on for questionable sales programs Kid-Friendly Hotels and Resorts To make travel as easy as possible, some hotels and resorts are partnering with established non-travel brands How to Use Your Cell Phone Almost Anywhere Ways to use your cell phone abroad without getting ripped off at $5 per minute Plus: Download the Airline Directory walletcard (PDF) Hurricane Season Just Became a Safer Bet A few airlines and tour operators have taken steps to ease travelers' concerns Google Maps Fans have produced "mashup" maps of everything from great views in London to U.S. comic book stores Road Trip: Lake Champlain Fall-foliage season can make much of Vermont less idyllic than you'd hope. Head north, where you'll see more bikes than cars 40 Best Vacations The real deals right now True Stories Travel is stranger, funnier, and more heartwarming than fiction. Plus, a chance to win a trip to Ireland courtesy of Dooley Vacations What $100 Buys in...Addis Ababa A stroll through the market stalls of the Ethiopian capital reveals a mix of ancient ritual and contemporary style.