What's It Like to Take a Tiara Through Security?

ZOOS This time of year, many zoos brighten up their grounds and buildings with animated scenes "drawn" with thousands of glittering lights. Chicago The Lincoln Park Zoo's ZooLights includes an endangered species carousel, train rides, temporary tattoos, and spiced wine and holiday cocktails. 2200 N. Cannon Dr., 312/742-2000, free. New York City Live reindeer and horse-drawn carriage rides are among the highlights of the Bronx Zoo's Wild Winterland, which also includes ice-carving demonstrations and marshmallows for roasting. 2300 Southern Blvd., 718/220-5100, from $11. Oakland At the Oakland Zoo Lights, more than 120 animals are portrayed in illuminated scenes. 9777 Golf Links Rd., 510/632-9525, from $6. Portland, Ore. Displays at the Oregon Zoo's ZooLights include swinging monkeys, leaping frogs, and diving penguins: Real-life mountain goats and farm animals also join the party. 4001 SW Canyon Rd., 503/226-1561, from $6. San Diego The zoo's 20th Festival of Lights includes a puppet show, a light show, and night tours of the Journey into Africa exhibit. 2920 Zoo Dr., 760/796-5615, from $26. ICE SKATING New York City Skating's free if you bring your own skates to the Pond at Bryant Park. Hot chocolate and lots of holiday shops are both close by. 42nd St. and 6th Ave., 866/221-5157, rentals $12. Chicago The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park sees more than 100,000 skaters annually. 55 N. Michigan Ave., 312/742-1168, rentals $10. None of the Chicago Park District's eight outdoor skating rinks charge admission. San Francisco The Holiday Rink at the Embarcadero Center lets you skate just a few blocks away from the bay. Justin Herman Plaza, 1 Market St., 415/837-1931, admission from $5, rental from $4. Kansas City Downtown's Crown Center Ice Terrace has a canopy that offers some protection from the elements. 2405 Grand Blvd., 816/274-8411, admission $6, rental $3. Atlanta Overlooking downtown, Atlanta's only outdoor skating rink is in Centennial Olympic Park. 265 Park Ave. West NW, 404/223-4412, admission $7, rental $2. Philadelphia Near the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the RiverRink at Penn's Landing will have good views of the New Year's Eve fireworks. Delaware Ave. and Chestnut St., 215/925-7465, admission from $7, rental $3. MUSEUMS Washington D.C. The many holiday events happening in and around the National Gallery of Art include caroling in the decorated West Building Rotunda as well as holiday sweets like mulled cider and cocoa. There's also an ice rink nearby. 4th St. and Constitution Avenue NW, 202/737-4215, free. Atlanta During the High Museum's Hands on for the Holidays, kids can craft replicas of the stained glass windows and medieval swords now on loan from London's Victoria and Albert Museum. 1280 Peachtree St. NE, 404/733-4444, from $11, starts Dec. 26. New York City The wreaths and garlands at the Cloisters are inspired by the Middle Ages; events include a class on medieval food that lets you create tableware you can take home. 99 Margaret Corbin Dr., 212/650-2280, suggested donation from $10. Denver The very popular Holiday High Tea at the Molly Brown House includes a tour of the museum, the famous Titanic survivor's last residence, which is all decked out for the holidays. Candlelit tours are also available. 1340 Pennsylvania St., 303/832-4092, from $13. CHRISTMAS FAIRS New York City Held on Sundays before Christmas and run by the upscale Brooklyn Flea group, the Gifted holiday market brings together carefully chosen vendors selling antiques, handmade items, toys, and jewelry. Brooklyn Masonic Temple, 317 Clermont Ave., free. Austin The Blue Genie Art Bazaar gets its stock from more than 100 local artists. Monarch Event Center, 6406 North IH-35, 512/371-1711, free. Denver The traditional items at the Christkindl Market include hand-carved wooden figurines as well as German food and drinks. 16th St. Mall and Arapahoe St., free. Bethlehem, Pa. Live entertainment and German and Austrian food give a little extra authenticity to the town's Christkindlmarkt, which has aisle after aisle of handmade works. Spring and Main Sts., $8. Houston Discovery Green, a market open on Thursdays, is now selling stocking stuffers, ornaments, and other seasonal gifts. There's also a skating rink. 1001 Ave. De Las Americas, 713/400-7336, free.

Jeanne Oliver: Hi everyone! I'm Jeanne and I've been visiting and writing about Croatia regularly for the last 12 years. It's my favorite destination and I hope it will be yours so let's get started! _______________________ Birmingham, Ala.: We are planning a trip to Venice and Croatia for sometime in June. I am trying to figure out the best way to get from Venice to Split, Croatia but it is hard to figure this out so far in advance without published ferry or airline schedules. It appears that there is no ferry from Venice to Split? Also no budget airlines from Venice to Split? And would be difficult and long to go by train? Please on advise on the best mode of transportation from Venice to Split, Croatia. Jeanne Oliver: Several years ago there was a ferry that ran directly from Venice to Split but now travel arrangements are a little more complicated. I doubt whether that ferry will run again and, to my knowledge, there's never been a flight between the two destinations so I wouldn't count on that. There are regular ferries between Ancona and Split (jadrolinija.hr) however and you can always get a train from Venice to Ancona (see trenitalia.it for the schedules) to take the overnight ferry. You can also take a train from Venice to Zagreb and then a train or flight to Split. Your third option is to take a passenger ferry from Venice to Istria (venezialines.com), stay overnight and then rent a car and drive down to Split. _______________________ Easton, Pa.: We are four middle-aged women(65)hoping to travel to Croatia in spring, probably March 17, 2009 to April 1, 2009. Any suggestions on how to find a reasonable apartment for a one week rental in one of the major cities? Also where to travel for three or four days before and after the week's rental? We will leave from Newark, fly to Venice or Vienna and take trains from there. We like to hike, do only a few museums and find some off beat sightseeing possibilities. Shopping like a local is fun too so we seek out flea markets. Betty Jeanne Oliver: Hi Betty! There are a number of agencies that specialize in apartment rentals on the coast. The two largest Croatian agencies that deal with rentals are adriatica.net and adriagate.com. There's also atlas-croatia.com and croatianvillas.com. I would recommend that you rent the apartment in or around Dubrovnik and then take a few days to travel up the coast to Split, stopping at Hvar or Korcula Islands for some hiking. You'll love the daily market in Split that sells everything from homemade spirits to farm-fresh fruit to kitchenware to clothes. _______________________ Albany, N.Y.: I am planning a 2-3 week trip to Croatia and would like to know: can you go slightly off-season, say in April? I would like to start the trip by flying to and from Venice. Can you travel the coast using public transportation, or is it better to rent a car? Can you take a combination of trains and buses and ferries? Again, I would like to start in Venice, travel through Trieste by train, somehow see Istria (short car rental?), and then the major cities of Split, Dubrovnik and the islands in between. My interest is mostly in art and architecture, including historic towns. Jeanne Oliver: April is a great month to travel to Croatia especially for art and architecture. Plus it's easy on the budget because accommodation and transport is much cheaper. To visit all the places you've mentioned involves a lot of driving. Also, bear in mind that you normally cannot rent a car in Venice and leave it in Croatia. You could drive from Venice to Istria and then down the coast to Dubrovnik before taking the ferry from Dubrovnik to Bari, Italy and driving up the coast to Venice. Or, if you time it right, you could catch the coastal ferry that runs from Dubrovnik to Rijeka and then drive back to Venice. Otherwise, you could take a bus from Venice to Pula or Rovinj or from Trieste to Rijeka and then work your way down the coast using public transportation. Buses in Croatia are comfortable and reliable for getting from one city to another. It's wise to have a car for visiting the historic towns of Istria as well as for seeing the islands as bus services on the islands and within the Istrian interior are spotty. There's really good ferry service from the mainland to the islands but ferries from one island to another are more difficult to work out. For local ferries the main operator is Jadrolinija at jadrolinija.hr. _______________________ Scottsdale, Ariz.: Jeanne, I'm going to Croatia in September '09. I want to take a bus from Zagreb to Split with an overnight stop at Plitvice Lakes. What's the best bus to take, and any idea of a ballpark figure on the cost? Thanks, Al Jeanne Oliver: Hi Al! There are up to a dozen buses a day that travel to Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb and then go on to Split. You'll find the schedule at autobusni-kolodvor.com. The price depends on the company but I would estimate about $10. _______________________ Sonoita, Ariz.: We are three ladies, aged 48-54, traveling next spring, will be in Rijeka on April 18, 2009 and need to be in Dubrovnik by April 25. We would like to take a ferry and make our way down the coast. Can you make any suggestions or recommendations as to which ferries we should use and which islands/towns we should visit? Jeanne Oliver: There's only one ferry that runs down the coast from Rijeka and that is the coastal ferry run by Jadrolinija (jadrolinija.hr). It only runs twice a week but if it fits your schedule, you could take it to Split which is a great town to visit. You can even do a day trip to Brac Island. If it fits your schedule, you could then hop on the next coastal ferry to Dubrovnik or you could easily take a bus from Split to Dubrovnik. _______________________ Oakhurst, N.J.: Is there enough to see to spend more than one night at Plitvice when we are trying to see as much as possible of Croatia in 12 days ?? Jeanne Oliver: I think that one night in Plitvice is usually enough particularly if you get there early enough to have a full day at the lakes. It's splendid but there's so much to see in Croatia! _______________________ Advance, N.C.: What is the best and least expensive way to get from Split to Dubrovnik and return, or vice versa? Jeanne Oliver: The best and least expensive way is to take a bus. There are buses almost hourly and prices are reasonable. It takes about 3 1/2 hours. _______________________ Bradenton, Fla.: We are a group of 4 travelers, all in our 60's and in good health. We will be making port in Split, Croatia in May, 2009. We only have a maximum of ten hours before leaving port on our cruise. What would be your recommendation of must do's in and around Split? Two of us have been in Croatia in 2006 when we drove to a number of places in the northern part (Zagreb & OP and Zadar, etc.) For two of us it will be all new. Do you recommend ship's shore excursions as the best bet or would you recommend sort of an ad lib or ad hoc type of adventure? I strongly recommend Croatia as a fabulous tourist oriented adventure. That's why we chose a cruise that included Croatia even in a somewhat limited fashion. Jeanne Oliver: Split is a fascinating city and you don't need to take a shore excursion. Your cruise boat leaves you quite close to the historic center of Split; it's a nice walk along the harbor to Diocletian's Palace, the World Heritage Site. Just walking the streets of this ancient palace is a history lesson. And it's especially easy because there are panels on nearly every street that explain the sights in English. Naturally you'll want to see Diocletian's mausoleum, the Peristil, Sphynx, Vestibul and other remnants of this great site. After exploring the historical center, keep walking along the harbor until you come to Marjan hill. On your way up the hill, stop at the Mestrovic Museum devoted to the works of this great sculptor and then wind your way up the hill to get great views over Split. _______________________ Flanders, N.J.: My wife and I plan to spend a week in Croatia starting on 9/25/09. We thought we might drive around, spending a night in various towns, or rent a villa for a week in Istria and do daytrips. Which would you recommend? Jeanne Oliver: Well, it depends on where you'll be entering Croatia and whether you prefer active or relaxing vacations. There's certainly enough in Istria to keep you busy for a week. If you rent a villa in central Istria amid the rolling hills (say around Pazin) you're no more than an hour's drive from Istria's main attractions which would include Rovinj, Pula, Porec, Motovun, Groznjan, the Beram frescoes and the Lim Channel. _______________________ Croatia: When is the best time of year to go to Croatia for nice, warm (not hot or rainy) weather? Thanks. Jeanne Oliver: It can be hot along the coast in summer and rainy in winter but it's hard to predict. Generally you would be safest going from April to June and from September to mid-November. _______________________ McLean, Va.: Would you please identify the best value seafood restaurants in Split and Dubruvnik? Jeanne Oliver: In Split, you can't go wrong at Nostromo. It's right on the fish market! In Dubrovnik, the best value fish and seafood usually appears at Proto but for an inexpensive and filling plate of mussels everyone loves Lokanda Peskarija, right on the port. _______________________ Greenfield, Mass.: What are the transportation options for getting to Osijek? All flights go to Zagreb, Istria, or the seacoast. Are there any flights into Osijek? Perhaps from Zagreb? Jeanne Oliver: The Osijek aiport was basically demolished during the war in the early 1990s. As I understand, it is currently under re-construction. Why not take a train from Zagreb? It's only four hours. _______________________ Jacksonville, Fla.: What are the "must sees" in Croatia? I am looking for a tour, but I am confused by what is perhaps the most well liked places to go/see. Jeanne Oliver: Here are the top sights in Croatia—at least according to my own subjective criteria! Dubrovnik Plitvice Lakes Hvar Town Korcula Town Split Mljet Island Rovinj _______________________ Lake Forest, Calif.: Hi! I am planning a trip to Croatia next summer and looking for a company that rents small sailboats on a budget. I found some larger companies online, but am wondering if there is a smaller family rental business that may offer smaller and cheaper boats. Jeanne Oliver: Hi Lake Forest! I think that renting sailboats is more of a big business in Croatia rather than a small, family business. If you're just looking for a daily rental of a catamaran, you will find what you're looking for once you're on the ground at any of the larger coastal resorts. _______________________ Diamond Bar, Calif.: Croatia looks like a great place to take a family with active teenagers. Is it? Jeanne Oliver: If your teenagers are sporty, they'll find lots to do in Croatia. From Dubrovnik, there are a number of companies that organize kayak trips out to the Elaphiti Islands. For windsurfing, the best spots are Viganj on the Peljesac peninsula, Bol on Brac Island and Cikat Bay on Mali Losinj. For hiking and rock-climbing, Paklenica National Park is the place but there are also climbing opportunities outside Rovinj. Scuba diving, you say? You have many, many opportunities at nearly every coastal or island resort. I hope you can keep up with them! _______________________ Summit, N.J.: Hello. I am booked for a two week trip next July flying in and out of Venice with the intention of spending the bulk of my time in Croatia and Slovenia. I'm concerned about logistics. Should we rent a car? How should we map out our time there? Might you have any suggestions? Thanks much. Melissa Jeanne Oliver: Hi Melissa! I think that renting a car for the entire trip is your best bet in order to see the most. I would not plan on driving as far down as Dubrovnik though. In two weeks you could see most of Slovenia and the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. For a more hectic trip, you could drive as far south as Zadar and then return to Venice via Zagreb but it would be a lot of driving. _______________________ Tallahassee, Fla.: Is the language barrier a problem in Croatia? I am a solo female traveler, age 44, who will be visiting Croatia in May 2009. I only know English and a few Croatian phrases. Thanks! Jeanne Oliver: Don't worry. You'll get around just fine. The entire Croatian coastline is multi-lingual and English is widely spoken by anyone your age and younger. Older people on the coast usually speak Italian as a second language. In the very north of Croatia, the people are not so used to English-speaking tourists so getting around is more of a challenge. _______________________ S Dartmouth, Mass.: We are going to Croatia in early April. We will visit Plitvica National Park, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula and Porec and Rijeka. I would love some ideas for restaurants in each place, and information on food specialities. Thanks, Diana Jeanne Oliver: In Plitivce, the specialties are hearty and generally meaty. The best restaurant is Licka Kuca—touristy but excellent. In Split, the style is more Mediterranean with an accent on fish. Sperun is a good, reasonably-priced choice for family-style cuisine; Nostromo is great for fish and the pizza at Galija is wonderful. In Pula—well, a little outside—is one of Croatia's best restaurants, Valsabbion. It's most sophisticated. The Rijeka dining scene has never thrilled me but not even a half-hour out of town is Plavi Podrum in Volosko—another celebrated Croatian restaurant. And in Porec you have Konoba Ulixes where you can taste Istria's famous truffles. _______________________ Reston, Va.: We want to drive from Salzburg, Austria, through the Grossglockner Pass, and down through Croatia. I'd like to do it before the crowds start but after the Grossglockner pass is open. We have about 3-4 weeks to do this trip. Can you give a range of dates when this can be done around March/April/May to avoid the Pass being closed and before the crowds start...and the weather is better? And would you list the recommended towns that would be good to stop at in Croatia? This would help us design a route. Thanks, Gary Jeanne Oliver: Hi Gary! I'm sorry but I know nothing about the Grossglockner Pass as I never enter Croatia from Austria. Alas. But if you're coming from the north, I would certainly plan a stop in Varazdin, a most underrated and untouristed place full of baroque architecture. And do explore Zagreb! _______________________ Jeanne Oliver: Thanks so much for writing in. I'm sorry I wasn't able to respond to everyone. Do check out my site, Croatia Traveller (croatiatraveller.com) for tons of information that will help you plan your trip to Croatia. It's got advice on everything from ferry schedules to suggested itineraries to my favorite accommodation. You can leave questions in my forum and subscribe to my blog to get the latest Croatia travel news. Have a great trip! Jeanne _______________________

The news For the first time in 88 years, the Miss America Pageant will give audience members a partial say in picking the finalists. Viewers of TLC's new reality series, Countdown to the Crown, will vote to pick four of the top 15 finalists. The contestants will compete in preliminary contests aboard a cruise ship during the four-part series, which starts January 2, 2009, at 10 p.m. (ET). On January 24, the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas will host the pageant's finale—TLC will televise it live at 8 p.m., (ET). The winner of the Miss America title collects more than $50,000 in scholarship money and has opportunities to earn money for public appearances for the rest of the year. The crowning moment If you want to see it for yourself when the winner is announced and a crooner belts out, "There she is...Miss America," expect to pay $150 a seat (866/448-7849, ticketmaster.com). Book the first day tickets go on sale (December 13) because scalpers may snap up tickets and resell them for up to 40 percent more at a resale website like eBay or StubHub. The Budget Travel tip If the finale is less important to you than having a chance to see all the contestants compete, watch the preliminary competitions instead. During the prelims, the field of 52 contestants (representing all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands) is narrowed down to the final 15. The ladies compete in a different event each night: the talent portion, the swimwear/evening wear competition, and the on-stage question, which is typically on current affairs. The tentative schedule for January 20-22 is posted at onlineselection.missamerica.org. Tickets will be $75 a night, which is half the price of seats to the finale (on sale December 13, 866/448-7849, ticketmaster.com). The freebie If you're in Vegas the weekend before the pageant, you'll have a chance to see the beauties practice their pageant walks at a public fashion show on Las Vegas Boulevard. No tickets are required, and contestants will happily sign autographs and be photographed. Says a spokeswoman: "From our previous experience, we can tell you it will not be a mob scene." It's tentatively scheduled for January 17 at 4 p.m. (PT). For more details, check the Miss America website closer to the event. Lodging and other activities The pageant is held at Planet Hollywood Resort, where doubles on pageant weekend recently started at $199 a night. But you may find a better value if you stay instead at the Stratosphere Hotel and Resort, where doubles recently started as low as $57 a night. Stroll along concourses bursting with shops, lounges, gaming tables, restaurants, fitness centers, spas, and amusement-park-style rides. Next door to the hotel is the Stratosphere Tower; from its observation deck, you'll have a 360-degree view of Las Vegas. (Tickets for hotel guests are $10.) One downside: The hotel is at the northern end of the Strip, a little over a mile from Planet Hollywood and the pageant events. Related links: • How to Have a Girlfriend Getaway in Las Vegas

Stationed at a mid-city intersection, El Chato serves dishes that are almost elegant, in spite of the streetside location. The tacos ($1) are tiny two-biters topped with sweet onions sautéed with fiery halves of chili peppers, plus limes, lemons, and radishes. The sauce that accompanies specialties such as carne asada (marinated grilled beef), al pastor (pork) and cabeza (beef head and cheeks) is smoky and unusual: there might even be some lemongrass in there, though of course the cooks would never spill the secret of their cult success. Southwest corner of Olympic Blvd. and La Brea Ave., Mid-City West, 8 p.m. to midnight Mon.–Thurs., 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fri.–Sat. Dishes $1-$4. Taco Zone may be the most popular food truck in town, judging by the constant line of hungry citizens clamoring at its window nightly. With a wide sidewalk ideal for sprawling with your crew and Echo Park's hippest bars nearby, the location is great for people-watching. Just about everything here deserves its reputation, but since you have to choose, go for a quesadilla: this is one of the few trucks serving the cheesy creation. Try it with suadero (chopped sirloin) and top it with whatever sauces and garnishes are offered along the side of the truck—spicy avocado sauce, pico de gallo, onions, cilantro, and peppery red salsa. Going a bit overboard with the mouth-burning options is fine here, as they can all be counterbalanced with some heavenly horchata. This soothing drink of rice, almond flour, sugar, vanilla, and plenty of cinnamon is made daily by the friendly ladies who make the truck so welcoming. Corner of N. Alvarado St. and Montana St., Echo Park, 7 p.m. to midnight Sun.–Thurs., 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fri.–Sat. Dishes $1.50-$5. Tacos Arabes has the name of its house specialty painted on its window. Tacos arabes were fusion before the term existed: The story is that in the 1930s an Iraqi or Lebanese immigrant in Mexico put his own spin on tacos, using Middle Eastern seasonings such as cumin and turmeric and a wheat tortilla. Another specialty here is the corn tortillas. They're handmade in the tortilleria next to where the truck parks, and their freshness really comes through. Specialists making the tortillas work late into the evening, and diners can spot them in action, forming the cornmeal disks that will soon be topped with beef, pork, chicken and sautéed vegetables. Northwest corner of Sunset Blvd. and Logan St., Echo Park, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Mon.–Sat. Dishes $2-$4. One of the best things about L.A.'s taco trucks is the airbrushed murals that adorn them. Rambo's has an especially famous scene: The warrior of movie legend brandishes a plateful of tacos in the jungle while a buxom safari leader looks on. Does it make sense? Not necessarily, but it is fun. Busty ladies are a common theme on taco trucks, though they are paired more often with spiritual figures and animals than with movie icons. As for the food, Rambo's is a good spot to get adventurous. Popular tacos include lengua (tongue) and tripas (intestines). Each taco gets its own unique salsa, and you can count on it being almost blindingly spicy. Southeast corner of Eagle Rock Blvd. and York Blvd., Eagle Rock, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mon.–Sat. Dishes $1-$3.50. La Estrella is so successful that the owners and chefs have managed to turn it into a mini chain, with one brick-and-mortar restaurant and a number of trucks stationed around town. The one in Highland Park is the most centrally located: Near a hipster bowling alley, dive bars, and Occidental College, it's handy for town and gown alike. If you only try one kind of taco here, make it the al pastor. The pork is so perfectly seasoned and cooked that many folks order it without the standard salsa, just a sprinkling of cilantro and chopped onions. This location got a lot of press early in 2008, when a motion was passed at the behest of brick-and-mortar restaurant owners to effectively ban taco trucks from parts of Los Angeles County; La Estrella is the favorite of Save Our Taco Trucks, the group who led the fight to overturn it. Luckily for us all, the ban was repealed and the eating continues. Northwest corner of York Blvd. and Ave. 54, Highland Park, 7 p.m. to midnight Mon.–Thurs., 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fri.–Sat. Tacos $2 each. The final truck serves no tacos, but the specialty is a classic in its own way, and a great ending to any food crawl. The main attraction at Salina's Churros are sugary, deep-fried wonders, crispy outside but soft and fluffy inside. The churros are usually made fresh to order, in the scary-looking deep fryer behind the window. Churros are best when piping hot: if you're offered one made more than five minutes ago, smile sweetly and ask for a new batch; the cooks are happy to comply. Other dessert options include bionicos, fruit salads with cream and grains; and fried plantanos (plantains) with sweet cream and strawberry jam. The plantanos, hard-to-recognize lumps, aren't exactly pretty, but they are delicious. An ideal night to hit this truck up is Wednesday, when Barragan's Mexican restaurant two doors down has $2 margaritas. Pick up a bag full of churros to line your stomach with dough before joining the scenesters at the bar. It could turn out to be one of the the tastiest, cheapest, and yes, sweetest, nights of your life. Southwest corner of Sunset Blvd. and Echo Park Ave., Echo Park, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Eight churros for $3, other dishes $4.