Since borrowing a London-based friend's credit card in order to use the communal bike system in Paris a couple summers back, I've been curious about less-complicated solutions to the lack of "chip and PIN" credit card technology available in the States. Designed specifically for traveling Yankees, I recently started...

While most think of caipirinhas and Havianas when it comes to Brazil, you might not know that the country leads the environmental movement in several areas. Already home to a nation of flex-fuel cars and Osklen's fish-skin shoes, a new fashion brand, Natural Cotton Color, has made their focus...

Finding inspiration in vintage track racing catalogs and archival images, Francesco Bertelli builds gorgeously minimal bicycles in his NYC workshop Biciclette Assemblate. The Italian transplant's one-of-a-kind creations combine new, dead stock and vintage components found at flea markets, collectors, trusted suppliers, and of course, eBay. This scavenger style of...

The "people-tested" Fetching Dog Shampoo from Brooklyn-based body care brand Skinny Skinny works on any pup, but was created specifically for dogs with sensitive skin. Comprised of all organic ingredients like rosemary, citronella and ylang ylang, the potent suds keep insects at a distance while loading up on moisture...

While shooting a yoga video at a cattle ranch in the Southwest, Jamie Getzwiller realized her colleagues were unable to maintain proper posture on the Navajo rugs they were using. The upshot was Yoga-Paws, fingerless gloves that allow you to get your downward dog on anywhere, on any surface....

Down a winding mountain road, about five minutes outside the center of Zihuatanejo on Playa la Ropa, lies the The Tides hotel. A Viceroy property that underwent a major re-branding in 2006, it's a slice of paradise on the west coast of Mexico, located about 150 miles north of...

As "green" lifestyles become the norm, conspicuous environmentalism will hopefully give way to unpretentious examples like the new 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI, which subtly makes an eco-conscious statement by making their high-tech, cleaner-burning engine available in a compact car. Car enthusiasts or climate crisis know-it-alls will already be familiar...

For those either stuck with ridiculous two-year AT&T contracts or just not ready to leap on the 3G S bandwagon for whatever reason, there are ways to make your old (aka "year old") 3G a little more S, starting with the Clarifi from Griffin. By adding another lens to...

Located on a private peninsula along Brazil's Southern coast and part of the esteemed Relaix & Chateaux group, Ponta dos Ganchos ranks among one of the world's most exclusive resorts. With over-the-top luxurious bungalows, genuinely gracious staff, a no kids under 18 policy and plenty of activities that take...

The spanish company Fon, billing itself as the largest WiFi community in the world, is poised to make a dramatic entrance to New York City this month. Their "free WiFi for all who contribute" manifesto found a comrade in technologist and former candidate for NYC Public Advocate Andrew Rasiej,...

If you've been planning one of those sight-seeing helicopter tours around New York, you might want to wait a couple more weeks. On 27 March, US Helicopter is slated to commence air "taxi" service between JFK/LGA (Newark service coming soon) and two heliports in Manhattan. Flights are scheduled every...