Philip Johnson's Glass House

It's 7:30 P.M. on a Saturday, and the front door of a Victorian house in Oakland, Calif., is wide open. The owner of the home directs arrivals through the kitchen--where Louisiana shrimp stock simmers on the stove and delicate tomato-and-white-corn tarts are being assembled on a tiled table--and out to the backyard. Guests are gathering under a canopy of trees, sitting on the colorful cushions that surround the low tables. Since 2004, a "wandering supper club" called The Ghetto Gourmet has been organizing underground dinner parties in the Bay Area. "We want events that are comfortable and geared toward people getting to know each other," says Jeremy Townsend, 30, who cofounded the club with his brother Joe, 25. "It's definitely about more than just the food." All that's required to join is an online reservation made at theghet.com and a donation (which ranges from $30 to $75, depending on the event). In return, members are treated to a four-course meal prepared by an off-duty professional chef, line cook, or caterer (past participants include Serge Santiago, formerly of Mecca in San Francisco, and Damon Bruner, onetime chef at L.A.'s Cinnabar); some kind of unusual entertainment (anything from poetry readings to ancient Hungarian chanting); and the opportunity to meet lots of interesting people. Printed menus, glassware, and candles lend a sophisticated feel to the BYOB parties, which have been held not only in private homes, but at museums, in parking lots, and on organic farms. The Ghetto Gourmet has become so popular that it now hosts an average of 75 events a year across the country, in cities like L.A., New York, Chicago, Miami, and Nashville. On April 1, the supper club embarks on a three-month cross-country tour that will hit Atlanta, New Orleans, Albuquerque, and Washington, D.C., among other cities. As with any get-together, the success of a Ghetto Gourmet event depends on the attendees. The evening in Oakland starts off with birthday wishes and a pregnancy announcement, but most people haven't met before. The garden is soon full of cocktail-party chatter. "It's great," says Ray Aguilera, a writer. "When you go to a restaurant, you can't really talk to people you don't know." A cabaret duo called the Auditorials is part of the evening's entertainment. They heard about Ghetto Gourmet through word of mouth and discovered that, although it's not a lucrative gig, it's a satisfying one: Their payment is a dinner prepared by local chef Peter Jackson that includes Niman Ranch grilled rack of lamb in a smoked-tea barbecue sauce. "We're literally singing for our supper," laughs Mo Mellady. About a third of Ghetto Gourmet's guests return for another dinner. Jen and Peter Bender have attended eight dinners and were recently inspired to host an event in their North Berkeley home. "We actually got to meet people who live nearby," says Jen. While dessert--a glazed limoncello zabaglione and a vanilla-custard cake topped with fresh berries--is being served, guests perform an impromptu concert by clinking forks against wineglasses. A woman in a beaded cardigan provides the percussion by banging on a bucket drum. "I like the combination of great food and an offbeat setting," says Betsy Brown, a marketer who attended the dinner with her mother; it was their first Ghetto Gourmet event. "There's always the potential for a surprise."

You're All Wet--and You're Loving Every Minute of It To say that Atlantis's new water park is over the top is an understatement; it's over the top and down and around and back up and over again. "Aquaventure covers 63 acres," says Mark Gsellman, manager of the Bahamas resort's marine and water park operations, "and there's something new around every corner." The nexus of all this fun is the Power Tower, a 125-foot-tall green structure that's home to a new slide called the Abyss. The ride starts with a near-vertical, 50-foot drop in complete darkness and ends with a fall into an underground pool that appears to be filled with alligator gars--angry-looking fish with sharp teeth. In between is a series of twists, turns, and special effects that add up to 14 seconds of totally wedgifying high-adrenaline excitement. In addition to the Abyss, Aquaventure features three inner-tube slides and a mile-long river loop that alternates sections of calm and white water. (Waves can reach as high as seven feet.) Best of all, a set of conveyor belts connects the slides to the river loop, so you never have to get out of the water. Access is free for anyone staying at Atlantis; at press time, the resort planned to sell day passes to nonguests for around $100. 888/528-7155, atlantis.com. Eat Your Heart Out, Sir Edmund Hillary! When Walt Disney World's Expedition Everest opened last April in the Animal Kingdom, it was the culmination of six years of work by Disney Imagineers, combined with 1,800 tons of steel and an estimated $100 million. Based on the myth of the yeti, the Abominable Snowman and protector of Everest (which Disney scaled down from a height of 29,000 feet to 199 feet--still enough to make it the second-highest summit in Florida), the ride speeds passengers down an 80-foot drop and spirals them forward and backward through foggy ice caves. The real heart-stopper, though, is a very close encounter with the yeti itself. The audio-animatronics that power the beast are the most sophisticated Disney has ever produced. 407/939-1289, disneyeverest.com, $67. On a Clear Day You Can See L.A. The Empire State Building? The ape can have it. Top of the Rock--the newly reopened observation decks atop the GE Building in Rockefeller Center--is superior in every conceivable way. First, there are the views: Instead of the Empire State Building's jailhouse bars, you get glass panels that look like they were washed that morning; the first floor (of three total) also has large indoor areas for those who'd rather not venture outside. Second, the top floor, because it's set back from the edge of the building, has totally unimpeded views. Third, the art deco details will take your breath away; wandering around, you feel a bit like Lex Luthor in his evil (but sumptuous) aerie. Fourth, the visitor experience is infinitely better: The workers treat you like a human being, rather than use the fact that you're waiting in line as an opportunity to give you the hard sell. Fifth, even the marketing partnership is neat: In the Target Breezeway, all the surfaces are covered with lights that follow you around. Finally, there's the elevator ride. Stand in the back of the car, to the right as you enter. Then look up. 877/692-7625, topoftherocknyc.com, $17.50. That's What We Call Rapid Transit Not only is the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., the biggest man-made white-water park in the world, but the course--which was designed by engineer and four-time world-champion kayaker Scott Shipley--shares its DNA with great rapids across the globe. "I wanted to improve upon existing elements in nature and those found in Olympic white-water parks in Europe and Australia," says Shipley. "A part of the big rapid was inspired by the one in South Carolina that Deliverance was shot on." Fueled by pumps that circulate 536,000 gallons of water per minute (enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool every 70 seconds), the river provides consistent Class II, III, and IV rapids throughout four channels of varying difficulty. When kayakers and rafters reach the end, they're whisked back to the top by a 180-foot-long conveyor belt. "It's like a ski lift for boats," says Shipley. An official Olympic training site, the U.S. National Whitewater Center will also host the 2008 Olympic kayak team trials. But it has been open to the public since last September, so you too can learn how it feels to train like a champion. 704/391-3900, usnwc.org, from $29. Art That Moves People in More Ways Than One Spiraling like tendrils through the soaring Turbine Hall in London's Tate Modern, the five Test Site slides by German artist Carsten Höller aren't just riveting to look at; they're fun, too. "Most people associate slides with playgrounds," Höller said in October, shortly before the installation opened to the public. "But there is no reason why they should be for children only." Judging by the giddy screams that echo through Turbine Hall each day, museumgoers absolutely agree. From Level 5, where the highest slide begins, it's an exhilarating plummet down 180 feet of steel and clear plastic to a padded landing area 87 feet below. Too scary? The shorter glide from Level 3 and the small, mirror-image chutes on Level 2 are positively restful in comparison. (The slide from Level 4 is already closed for another exhibition.) Timed tickets are required for Levels 3 and 5 (but not for Level 2); they're issued daily at the Tate. Hurry, though: Test Site closes on April 15. After that, you'll have to be satisfied with the tiny Höller slide that's on permanent display at Berlin's Kunst-Werke museum--or become good friends with fashion designer Miuccia Prada, who had a Höller slide installed inside her Milan office (it whisks her down to her parking space). 011-44/20-7887-8888, tate.org.uk, free. Note: Carsten Höller's Test Site closed April 15, 2007. Sleep Tight! Don't Let the Walrus Bite! Since January, a sleepover program at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City has allowed families with kids ages 8 to 12 to have their own Night at the Museum adventure. The dinosaurs don't rampage like they do in the movie, so kids wander around with a flashlight to find the beasts themselves. (They're on the fourth floor.) "Everything is dark and creepy in a good way," says 10-year-old Alex Mattei of Irvington, N.Y. Even for adults, the planetarium show will feel extra trippy because it's so far past bedtime. But there's a fine line between thrilling and scary when you're a kid, so parents would do well to arrive early enough to claim cots with a view of, say, cute harp seals, as opposed to a sperm whale and giant squid locked in combat. The $79 price tag (regardless of age) includes a cot, snacks, breakfast, admission to the museum the next day, and a goodie bag with a key chain and stickers. 212/769-5100, amnh.org. When They Say a View of the Water, They Really Mean It Boston's new Institute of Contemporary Art cuts a dashing figure, thanks in no small part to the galleries that are cantilevered four stories above the edge of Boston Harbor. Designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the museum was built to showcase the institute's first-ever permanent collection, but the most popular spot has quickly become the Mediatheque, where 18 computers display digital media related to the artists and exhibitions. It's not the computers that are drawing crowds, however; it's the fact that the media center points down at a 24-degree angle from the underside of the cantilever. At the end of the room, there's a 21-foot-wide picture window framing a mesmerizing view of the water's surface. (No surrounding land or sky is visible.) "We describe the experience as vertiginous," says Jesse Saylor, a member of the architects' design team. "When you enter the room, you all of a sudden realize you're floating above the water." The Institute of Contemporary Art, icaboston.org, $12. Surf's Up, Dude! (Thirteen Stories Up, to Be Precise) Forget chasing an endless summer--now there's an endless wave. People have been lining up to surf onboard a cruise ship since Royal Caribbean launched Freedom of the Seas last May. The FlowRider is a continuous wave created by a six-inch sheet of water that rushes up an incline to keep surfers in position. "The FlowRider is the exact opposite of ocean surfing, where you move with the wave," explains Royal Caribbean sports supervisor Mitch Brooks. "It's like wakeboarding, without the boots and the lines." Falling doesn't actually hurt because the slope is made of a trampoline-like surface, but don't under- estimate the force of the flow. Hit the water and BOOM!--you're immediately swept up the wave and spat out at the top in a rush of foam, accompanied by the groans of spectators in grand-stands that wrap around three sides of the pool. Freedom of the Seas is the first of three Royal Caribbean ships to have a FlowRider; the second ship of the series, Liberty of the Seas, debuts next month. 866/562-7625, royalcaribbean.com. This Puts the "High" in Ohio You no longer have to go to the southern hemisphere to do a bridge climb like the famous one in Sydney. North America's first bridge climb--up the Purple People Bridge, which spans the Ohio River and connects Cincinnati and Newport, Ky.--opened last June. First, you put on a yellow-and-purple jumpsuit, and then you get fastened to a cable system (you stay hooked to the bridge at all times). The journey to the bridge's apex, about 150 feet above the water, isn't for acrophobes: You walk along narrow walkways and up steep staircases, more than 250 steps in all. But the views are magnificent. Climbers cross a 35-foot-long section of walkway made of glass (those who dare to look down will see the river churning below) before descending on the other side. 859/261-6837, purplepeoplebridgeclimb.com, $30. Ever Looked a Killer Bird Right in the Eye? At 6'5" and 130 pounds, the southern cassowary is the world's most dangerous bird, known to land fatal blows with its large claws. Close encounters with the cassowary and 6,000 other creatures are a daily occurrence at Sydney Wildlife World, a 75,000-square-foot indoor park that opened in September on Darling Harbour, in the heart of the city. Nine habitats house 130 species unique to Australia, from the cute and cuddly (koalas, wallabies) to the creepy and crawly (rhinoceros cockroaches, bearded dragons, golden orb spiders). There are opportunities to interact with animals throughout the park. Birds swoop overhead during daily feedings in the two-story aviary. Keepers wander about with lizards and sugar gliders (small gray possums), fielding questions and posing for pictures. And for $16, you can get your photograph taken alongside a koala hugging a eucalyptus tree, or with a python dramatically draped across your shoulders and arms. 011-61/2-9333-9288, sydneywildlifeworld.com.au, $21 (90-minute VIP tours are also available for $110).

Three years ago, Ireland made news by becoming the first country to ban smoking in all enclosed public spaces. Critics said businesses (pubs in particular) would suffer. They envisioned floods of people crossing nightly into Northern Ireland, which had no such ban, to enjoy cigarettes with their pints. It turns out the border crossings never occurred, at least not to a significant degree. This April, Northern Ireland is enacting a similarly strict smoking ban of its own. Tough new restrictions on smoking are popping up all over. At press time there were bans in most public buildings in 22 U.S. states (though some have loopholes for casinos and places where minors aren't allowed). Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands have also passed antismoking legislation. The most interesting developments, however, are in Europe--where it once seemed impossible to find a café that wasn't filled with clouds of smoke. Even France, the grande dame of café culture, has jumped on the antismoking bandwagon. A ban on smoking in all offices, stores, museums, and train and bus stations went into effect in February, and lighting up won't be permitted in restaurants, bars, or cafés as of January 1, 2008. Smoke-Free HotelsUnfortunately, in many hotels it's possible to get stuck with a room that smells like an ashtray, even if you request a nonsmoking room. One way to guarantee a night without cigarette odors is to stay in a hotel that's entirely smoke-free. Last year, Westin's 77 North American properties banned smoking, as did all Marriott hotels in the U.S. and Canada. To find properties with similar bans, use the special "Smoke-Free Hotels" search feature at booking engine Quikbook, or try the websites smoke-freehotels.com and freshstay.com. As of now, most properties listed on the websites are in North America, but the trend is sure to spread across the Atlantic and beyond. Map Legend1. No smoking: Strict bans are in effect in office buildings and public places that include museums, stores, and train stations (see "So What Exactly Is a 'Public Place'?" below). Smoking is also banned in all parts of restaurants, bars, and cafés. 2. Smoking in certain areas: Smoking is outlawed in all of the same places as above, though cafés, bars, and restaurants may have designated smoking sections. 3. Smoking in small cafés and bars: Most enclosed public places ban smoking; the exceptions are tiny eating and drinking establishments. In Belgium, for instance, there's a loophole for cafés, restaurants, and bars of less than 50 square meters. 4. Smoking in restaurants is fine: Smoking is not allowed in most workplaces, as well as in public places such as movie theaters and train stations. But restaurants, cafés, and bars have few or no restrictions on smoking. 5. Smoke 'em if you got 'em: There are few regulations, if any, on where you can light up. Switzerland, for example, outlaws smoking only on public transportation. So what exactly is a "Public Place"? The phrase public place, which appears often in antismoking legislation, generally means museums, theaters, hospitals, schools, restaurants, bars, and shops--basically everywhere indoors other than hotel rooms and private residences. In many countries, smoking is also banned in outdoor areas like train stations, bus stops, pedestrian tunnels, and open-air sports arenas. Each country's rules are a little different. On public transportation in Portugal, smoking is outlawed during trips that last under an hour, but is acceptable on longer journeys. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, there's no smoking in restaurants during mealtimes, but lighting up is fine during certain afternoon and late evening hours. Latvia lets municipalities decide whether to restrict smoking at public parks, squares, and beaches.

Many travelers think of low-fare carriers and rail passes as the smartest means for touring Europe. But in the same way that airlines offer last-minute deals to fill empty seats, Europe's rail networks have deeply discounted point-to-point tickets under promotional names like Smart Price and Bargain Berths. The tickets typically sell out quickly and may require Internet booking, though you're saved from the hassles (and costs) of getting to airports. Offers are generally nonrefundable and valid only on the train you book (no changes). While availability is limited, bargains exist for travelers willing to search. Unless noted, the prices are for one-way tickets in second class. THE TRIP: ROME TO PARISNormal price: $220 Sale price: $45 Here's the Deal: Trenitalia's Smart Price ticket has a select few bargain fares on routes from Italy to nearby countries. A trip from Milan to Nice costs as little as $20. An overnight train from Rome to Paris, including a bed in a six-couchette compartment, starts at $45. Booking Details: Advance-purchase requirements vary from 7 to 14 days depending on route. Buy at trenitalia.com and collect your ticket at a booth at the point of departure. THE TRIP: MUNICH TO BERLINNormal price: $135 Sale price: $9 Here's the Deal: For $45, up to five people can split a single Schönes-Wochenende ("Happy Weekend") ticket and have unlimited rides anywhere in Germany on either a Saturday or Sunday. The offer, from Deutsche Bahn, isn't valid on the high-speed ICE, IC, and EC trains. Booking Details: Tickets are sold at counters and machines in German train stations, with no advance purchase required. To plan an itinerary, go to bahn.de. Using the drop-down menu, search Without ICE/IC/EC and click on Prefer Fast Connections. THE TRIP: FRANKFURT TO VIENNANormal price: $146 Sale price: $50 Here's the Deal: Deutsche Bahn's Europe-Special tickets are good for trips from Germany to neighboring countries, including the seven-hour ride from Frankfurt to Vienna, as well as for shorter journeys, like Munich to Bolzano, Italy, for $25 (normal price: $75). Booking Details: Purchase at least three days in advance, only at bahn.de. Click on Europe-Special and select a city pair and date. THE TRIP: LONDON TO DUBLINNormal price: $57 Sale price: $31 Here's the Deal: Virgin Trains' Rail and Sail package includes the train ride from London Euston station to Holyhead, a ferry to Dublin Ferry Port, and finally another train to central Dublin. The fare is available in either direction. While scenic, the journey takes nine hours. Booking Details: For the cheapest tickets, purchase at least 14 days before departure. Book at any Virgin ticket outlet or by calling 011-44/8457-222-333; print tickets at the Virgin FastTicket machine at London Euston. You can't buy tickets online, but more info is available at virgintrains.co.uk. THE TRIP: GENEVA TO VENICENormal price: $124 Sale price: $37 Here's the Deal: Every day, a new lineup of routes goes on sale for last-minute trips inside Switzerland (departing within three days), and between Switzerland and Austria, Germany, and Italy (departing within seven days). We found the Geneva-Venice price in February. Booking Details: At sbb.ch, after switching the home page to English, select Travel and then Click & Rail Europe. There, you'll have a choice of viewing current offers within Switzerland or between Swiss cities and ones in neighboring countries. THE TRIP: EDINBURGH TO LONDONNormal price: $133 Sale price: $37 Here's the Deal: With ScotRail's Bargain Berths promotion, you get a bed on an overnight train between London Euston and one of 42 Scottish towns and cities, at fares ranging from $37 to $96. Booking Details: Tickets are available up to three months in advance. Pending availability, you can buy them until noon on the departure date. Go to firstscotrail.co.uk and click on Sleeper Trains, then Bargain Berths. Search for a specific date, or throughout a period of up to three months. THE TRIP: PARIS TO BERNNormal price: $101 Sale price: $39 Here's the Deal: Piccolo prices on the TGV Lyria high-speed train line connecting Paris to the Swiss Alps start as low as $26 for shorter journeys on the line's branch connecting to Geneva. Fares on the Zurich branch can cost $39 to Bern and $45 to the end of the line. Booking Details: One-month advance purchase is required for trips on the Zurich leg; a two-month advance is necessary for excursions on the Geneva line. Go to voyages-sncf.com, enter your cities, and look for the fares labeled Piccolo. THE TRIP: BRUSSELS TO AMSTERDAM Normal price: $60 Sale price: $30 Here's the Deal: The latest discounted trips on the high-speed line between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne are listed every Tuesday via Thalys's Last Minute Offers. Fares are routinely sold at about half the standard price (meaning Paris-Brussels costs $50, not $100) for select departures in the week ahead. Booking Details: Visit thalys.com and click on Last Minute Offers for the latest discounted trips. Availability is very limited, so if you see a departure that works for you, snap it up. THE TRIP: VIENNA TO KRAKÓW Normal price: $62 Sale price: $38 Here's the Deal: Austria's SparSchiene tickets are available between Vienna and major cities in nearby countries including Italy, Germany, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, and Poland. There are discounts on standard seats, as well as for couchettes and private sleeper rooms--from $38, $50, and $76 respectively for trips to Kraków. Booking Details: Head to oebb.at and click on Discount Products, then SparSchiene. The actual booking engine is in German only, though you can talk with English-speaking agents at 011-43/5-1717. And plan well in advance: You must book a minimum of three months ahead of departure.