How to Eat Street Food Without Ruining the Trip

Flavorpill.net Some 300 writers and editors sift through hundreds of events, plucking ones that'll appeal to young urban sophisticates. Versions of the website and weekly e-mail are available for New York, San Francisco, L.A., Chicago, Miami, and London. Like what? Anything and everything, though always with an edge: a collaboration between German techno artists and American DJs in Brooklyn, a stage show in London with Rik Mayall, star of the cult classic The Young Ones. LABrainTerrain.com An anonymous editor keeps a blog and tracks events "for Angelenos interested in more than just driving, flirting, and (net)working," as the site's motto says. The focus is on intellectual happenings in Los Angeles, with calendars devoted to literature, science, culture, and politics. Like what? An opening reception for artist Damien Hirst, readings by French authors, foreign-film festivals. MyOpenBar.com The "guide to free booze" doles out the latest nightlife info, listing drink specials and hipster parties in Chicago, L.A., New York, and San Francisco. Each scene is rated on a scale of five glasses, with five as the coolest. Like what? Surprisingly, many classy events make the list: gallery openings, DJ nights, lounges with promotions for new vodka. LaughingSquid.com Since 1996, tech firm Laughing Squid has run an online calendar and e-mail for the San Francisco Bay area known as the Squid List. Most days, there are more than a dozen recommendations, from the bohemian to the avant-garde. Like what? Music, drama, underground comedy, rarely shown films--if it's left of mainstream, Squid List knows about it. NonsenseNYC.com This is a weekly e-mail guide to New York's most progressive, under-the-radar happenings. Like what? The New York City Juggling Festival and an end-of-season party thrown by an "interactive dance" troupe. OhMyRockness.com Currently available for New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Oh My Rockness is a roster of small-venue concerts for fans hoping to hear the next big thing. Billed as an Indie Rock Show List, the site does an admirable job of covering all genres. Like what? As long as your favorite musicians don't sell out Madison Square Garden, you can find out where they're playing.

Each month, Simply Audiobooks gives away one audiobook that anyone can download, at no cost whatsoever--past featured authors have included Jack London and Agatha Christie, and the free download in June is Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Carnival Cruise Lines is making some of its ship decks adults-only areas. A new service, 1800CabRide.com, lets folks in many U.S. cities order a taxi online or over the phone--and the bill, which you can pay in advance by credit card, covers all tips, taxes, and tolls. Six EasyHotel properties are in the works for India. The Michelin Guide series announced that books rating the top restaurants and hotels for two new cities--Los Angeles and Las Vegas--will be available this November. VIA Rail, Canada's train system, has several promotions, including a senior fare which lets passengers over 59 bring a companion of any age at no extra charge, and a summer special that allows a child under 12 to ride for free with any paying adult. After introducing new signs and informational videos in four languages to its international arrivals terminal, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston is the nation's first model port of entry, a program that's expected to spread to other airports to make them more friendly to visitors to the U.S. Alaska Airlines is allowing loyalty program members to book one-way reward seats for as little as 7,500 miles for flights within Alaska, and 10,000 miles for trips to other parts of the U.S. and Canada.

PARKING "If you try backing up for the first time at a campground, you might hit something and make a spectacle of yourself. Practice parking before going anywhere. If you never master it, ask for assistance. It's the nature of RV enthusiasts to help each other." --Bob Livingston, vice president and group publisher, MotorHome magazine DIRECTIONS "Get meticulous directions. Let people know you're driving a 36-foot motor home and need the straightest, easiest route. Making a U-turn in an RV is a nightmare. You stop traffic. It's a major deal." --Mike Marriner, cofounder, PBS series Roadtrip Nation PETS "Taking your pet is one of the great joys of RVing. You don't have to pay for a kennel or leave your pet in a hotel room. You're bringing your home on the road, so do the same for your pet. Bring his bed and dishes. And take a long leash. It'll allow your pet to engage with people and other pets." --Jim Rogers, CEO and chairman, Kampgrounds of America PACKING "Most rental companies offer packages with sheets, towels, dishes, and pots and pans. The packages don't cost much extra, and they eliminate the hassle of having to pack those items." --Harry Basch, coauthor, RV Vacations for Dummies and Frommer's Exploring America by RV FUEL "Most motor home generators automatically turn off just before the fuel tank is completely empty. There's still some gas left to drive on, but you should fill the tank up right away." --Richard Coon, president, Recreation Vehicle Industry Association SHOWERING "To conserve water, shut it off while you lather in the shower, before turning it back on to rinse. You still get a decent shower." --Chuck Woodbury, editor, RVTravel.com DRIVING "It's an especially bad idea to exceed speed limits in an RV because you need extra distance to stop. When merging onto highways, try to find long entry ramps so you have space to accelerate. Learn to use your side-view mirrors, too. Some RVs don't have rear mirrors." --Jan Harris, president, RVing Women ENTRY STEP "Typical RVs have a pullout entry step so it's easy to get in and out. Make sure to stow the step before you drive. Someone almost always leaves it out, and the driver can't see it from his seat. When the step hits a curb--or someone's car--it can cause substantial damage." --Randall Smalley, CEO and chairman, Cruise America RV rentals DUMPING "The sewer waste, in the black tank, and the water waste, in the gray tank, are both located beneath the RV. A panel in the RV's galley displays the tank levels. Wait until the tanks are at least three-quarters full before you attempt to empty them; otherwise they won't drain properly. Dump the contents of the black tank first so the soapy water from the gray tank can clean out the hose." --Mark Polk, owner, RVEducation101.com HILLS "If a hill becomes too steep, you won't be able to make it to the top, no matter how hard you push on the gas pedal. Buy a mountain guide, available at truck stops, to identify troublesome hills. Approach any grade over 10 percent with caution." --Mark Emeth, consumer affairs director, Escapees RV Club

Berkshire Museum Pittsfield, Mass. It took just over a year for the Berkshire Museum to fill a 4,500-square-foot exhibit with every fun inanimate object you can imagine. The result is the museum's traveling exhibition, entitled Kid Stuff. Wooly Willy, Magic Rocks, Lincoln Logs, and Raggedy Ann dolls all make an appearance, as do a life-size Barbie Dream House backdrop and G.I. Joe cutout. The collection is arranged by toy type and is divided into 10 sections, from Go to Your Room (Magic 8 Ball, Silly Putty) to It's My Turn (Twister, Go to the Head of the Class). Everyone's favorites are covered. 39 South St. (State Rte. 7), Pittsfield, Mass., 413/443-7171, berkshiremuseum.org, $8, exhibit returns to Berkshire Museum July 1 through Labor Day, future traveling dates TBA. Geppi's Entertainment Museum Baltimore, Md. Located in the original office of the B&O Railroad, Geppi's Entertainment Museum showcases not just toys but 230 years of pop culture. With some 8,000 toys and collectibles, the museum presents its exhibits by era, from the 1770s to the 1980s. Highlights include Brownies character figurines from the late-1800s, a first edition Barbie doll, a Beatles yellow submarine toy, a Monkees lunch box, and an Ike and Tina Turner tour poster. 301 W. Camden St., Baltimore, Md., 410/625-7060, geppismuseum.com, $10. The Star Toys Museum Linthicum, Md. A few weeks before Thomas Atkinson's 13th birthday, Star Wars changed his life. Seventeen years later, Atkinson opened his home to visitors, so all can witness his impressive collection of all things Star Wars. The Star Toys Museum occupies the first floor of Atkinson's home and comprises more than 12,000 items, like the original 1977 set of Kenner figurines that includes Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and R2-D2, as well as magazines, apparel, cards, memorabilia, and the ever-popular six-foot-long Millennium Falcon Extraordinaire, which was used in an advertising display in 1997. Tours are available by appointment only. 811 Camp Meade Rd., Linthicum, Md., 410/859-1261, startoysmuseum.org, free, (donations accepted). Strong National Museum of Play Rochester, N.Y. Inside the 282,000-square-foot Strong National Museum of Play, families can enter scenes from a gigantic pop-up book, go face-to-face with underwater creatures, and interact with hundreds of butterflies inside the glass-enclosed Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden. But what about more traditional agents of play? The National Toy Hall of Fame currently houses 36 inductees, including Mr. Potato Head, the Easy-Bake Oven, and Play-Doh. A committee comprised of prominent figures in kid-dom, such as Cheryl Henson, president of The Jim Henson Foundation, and Mike Berenstain, coauthor and co-illustrator of The Berenstain Bears books, choose from 12 finalists and induct new toys annually. But the Hall of Fame is only a portion of what the Strong museum has to offer. A math adventure exhibit based on the PBS series Cyberchase starts June 2. One Manhattan Sq., Rochester, N.Y., 585/263-2700, museumofplay.org, $9; Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden $3. National Toy Train Museum Strasburg, Pa. The 30,000 members of the Train Collectors Association donated the over 5,000 toy trains, buildings, signals, and tracks that make up the National Toy Train Museum. Five operating train layouts, which range in size from 200 to 900 square feet, include intricate details such as tunnels through hills, a queue of passengers waiting to board, bridges, churches, ducks, and dogs. Guests can interact with the layouts by pushing buttons that toot the train's whistle or light up a signal that makes the trains stop. Along with the TCA's Toy Train Reference Library, which includes a train-centric collection of books, films, and magazines, the museum has a gallery full of old and rare trains, the oldest dating from the 1840s. 300 Paradise Ln., Strasburg, Pa., 717/687-8976, nttmuseum.org, $5. Enchanted World Doll Museum Mitchell, S.D. For girls (large or small) who have had enough of train displays, the Enchanted World Doll Museum should satisfy the dream of becoming a princess. Visitors enter the English-style castle (complete with moat) via a drawbridge and are surrounded by just over 5,000 dolls. The dolls are grouped by categories such as country of origin, time period, maker, and type. All are arranged in 345 dioramas, many created to showcase the traditions, activities, and fashions of the dolls' time periods. Early and notable dolls in the collection include cornhusk dolls, a 500-year-old doll found in a tomb in Mexico, and a Civil War-era doll that was used to pass messages on the Underground Railroad. 615 N. Main St., Mitchell, S.D., 605/996-9896, enchantedworlddollmuseum.com, $5. Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum Wheeling, W.Va. Over the course of 40 years, the Miller family of Wheeling, W.Va., accumulated old toys and trains, and in 1998 the family opened a museum full of their finds in order to help revitalize their small town. Located in a restored Victorian schoolhouse, the Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum spreads out over 24,000 square feet and displays around 20,000 items. Along with three operating train layouts, there are original Ben-Hur and The Untouchables play sets, rare examples of a 1942 Marx 3/16th ramp car, an entire wall of shelves devoted to toy soldiers and other figurines, Rock'em Sock'em Robots, and a Green Machine. 144 Kruger St., Wheeling, W.Va., 877/242-8133, toyandtrain.com, $8. The Official Marx Toy Museum Moundsville, W.Va. During the 1950s, Marx Toys was one of the largest U.S. toy manufacturers. Time magazine named company founder Louis Marx "America's toy king" and put him on a 1955 cover. Now, just a mile and a half away from the site of the former Marx Toy Factory in Glen Dale, W.Va., The Official Marx Toy Museum in Moundsville, W.Va., presents a complete history of the popular toy company. The collection focuses on the 1920s through the 1980s and consists of dozens of different Marx play sets, including a life-size version of a Western town, metal wind-up toys, trains, dollhouses, and the all-time kid favorite--the Big Wheel. 915 Second St., Moundsville, W.Va., 304/845-6022, marxtoymuseum.com, $6.50.