A Chinese feast for all the senses

Windjammer Barefoot Cruises has long been known for a party-hearty philosophy (its first boat was named Hangover). But the company has recently been hit by various financial problems, as covered in a recent Budget Travel feature story. This morning, the Miami Herald reported that Windjammer has officially canceled Legacy's November 3 and November 10 cruises. The company now says it will resume its voyages—which haven't sailed in weeks—on November 17. [via Miami Herald.] EARLIER: Windjammer hits a rough patch. ADVICE What to do if your tour operator goes out of business. Photo by Digitalfilmphoto via Flickr and Creative Commons

The newly renamed Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) will move to a different location in New York City next fall, and last night I attended a dinner that helped to raise funds for the new, Maya Lin-designed structure. Formerly called the Museum of Chinese in the Americas, MOCA is seeking submissions for its StoryMap moca.localprojects.net, an online archive that links personal stories with Google Maps. The website has already drawn stories and photos from people who immigrated from mainland China, Hong Kong, Cambodia, South Korea, and Ecuador. There are also submissions from ABCs (American-Born Chinese). The new 14,000-square-foot gallery space will occupy the 200 block on Centre Street between Chinatown and Nolita, increasing the size of the museum by more than five times. The existing venue at 70 Mulberry St. will be converted into an archival research center. MOCA is also planning to digitize its collection of 60,000 letters, photos, and artifacts. Until the new building is finished, MOCA is still open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12 to 6 p.m. at 70 Mulberry St. The museum also offers weekly Chinatown walking tours in English. Tours can be given in Chinese upon request. 1 p.m. Saturdays, $12 adults, $10 students/seniors. 212/619-4785, mocanyc.org, admission $2 adults, $1 students, $1 seniors 65 plus, free for children under 12 and on Fridays. MORE BY AMY CHEN A visit to the Balloon Fiesta. Photo by MarcalandDavis via Flickr and Creative Commons

Hitting bookstores today, The Tokyo Look Book offers a colorful peek at what the kids are wearing these days on the sidewalks and catwalks of the capital city. Check out our slide show of images from the book. It captures the agony and ecstasy of high school, with a uniquely Japanese twist. The author, British anthropologist Philomena Keet, recently stopped by our office to chat about the making of the book ($30, barnesandnoble.com). Keet listed for us the must-see neighborhoods for travelers who want to see Tokyo's street styles for themselves. Here are the areas to head for and what to expect when you get there: Shibuyu and Harajuku are the main centers of Tokyo's youth fashion scenes. Weekends—when all the kids change from school uniforms to full subculture gear—are especially vibrant. Make sure to check out the groups standing on Jingubashi Bridge next to the Harajuku station, wander around the backstreets of Harajuku, and visit Shibuyu 109 mall, where many of the trendiest boutiques are located. As a little antidote to all the frills and youth of Harajuku, check out the nearby Aoyama area; you'll find avant garde high fashion boutiques, such as the Japanese label, Comme des Garçons. Keet also recommends the districts of Daikanyama and Naka-Meguro for great street style without the tourists and wannabes that now clog Harajuku's sidewalks. Marunouchi is where to find a lot of sophisticated, high-fashion, international boutiques (think Louis Vuitton) and salary, or business, men and women. Ginza is another upscale neighborhood to spot more high-end fashion. Akihabara is where the otaku, or geek subculture, like to hang out. It is also know for its high concentration of "maid cafés," a business phenomenon in which male customers are served obsequiously by women dressed as French maids. Another phenomenon, particularly popular in the Shinjuku and Raponggi neighborhoods, is the host club, a nightclub that's the inverse of a geisha house. Women pay extravagant cover fees and drink prices to exchange pleasantries with good-looking, well-dressed, entertaining young men. Keet warns travelers that an evening's bill might easily be over a thousand dollars. "Typically, the clientele for host clubs are women who are night workers themselves. They pay to be treated well, and are often the only ones who can afford it." Luckily, passing these hosts on the street, as one often does in these neighborhoods, is entertainment enough—and free. You can find a lot of vintage stores—often stocked with t-shirts imported from the United States—in Koenji and Shimokitazawa. Youth decked out as rockabillies hang out in Yoyogi Park, during its famous Sunday flea market. MORE ON TOKYO:Dining in Tokyo slide show. Tokyo Air/Hotel for $929 per person, including five nights' accommodations, and sightseeing, for travel by Dec. 5, 2007.

Workers out in midtown yesterday afternoon may have been surprised to find Bryant Park, a popular lunchtime retreat, transformed into a scene recalling Will Ferrell's hit comedy, "Blades of Glory." Professional skaters were decked out in characteristically sparkly costumes to perform for the grand opening of the Pond at Bryant Park, a small seasonal rink surrounded by trees and gleaming skyscrapers. First up was a pair of lively ice dancers from the country of Georgia, Isabella Tobias and Otar Japaridze, who zipped and toe-picked to what sounded like Georgian folk music. Sinead and John Kerr, four-time British ice dance champions from Scotland, also drew on their roots. They skated to traditional Scottish melodies—including strains of Auld Lang Syne—while sporting a highly untraditional take on tartan... Silvia Fontana, who skated for Italy at the 2006 Turin Olympics, chose a power ballad (Christina Aguilera's "Hurt"), as did Michael Weiss, the first American to land a quadruple toe loop in competition ("I could be your hero, baby"). At the Pond, whose ice can be choppy and prone to puddles, Weiss opted instead for two mid-air flips—not quite as life-threatening as Ferrell's Iron Lotus move, but close! After a number by native New Yorker Kyoko Ina and her partner John Zimmerman, the skating concluded with the crowd-pleasing Haydenettes, a troupe of peppy synchronized skaters who would likely meet the Rockettes' approval. It was neat to be so close to the performers, many of whom are on the Stars on Ice national tour. You can see shots of them in all their glory by clicking on our slide show. Beyond the splashy opening ceremony, the Pond wins kudos for being the city's only rink with free admission—skate rentals will set you back $10—and for its lovely setting. As the holidays approach, more than 100 artisans set up festive stalls in the park (Nov. 17-Dec. 30). The sooner you can take a spin, the better: In mid-January, months before rivals like Rockefeller or Wollman, the Pond closes to make way for the white tents of Fashion Week. Photo of the dramatic Georgian duo Isabella Tobias and Otar Japaridze by Kate Appleton. RELATED: Top 10 Ice-Skating Rinks and Trip Coach: Romantic New York City.