UNESCO list snubs Wright
A group of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings didn't make the cut this month when UNESCO placed 21 sites on its prestigious World Heritage List. And in a twist that would have wounded the master's ego, a collection of 17 works by one of his rivals, French architect Le Corbusier, were inscribed on the list. The buildings in the Wright nomination included his Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania; the Robie House in Chicago; the Guggenheim Museum in New York City; the Jacobs House in Madison, Wis.; Taliesin in Spring Green, Wis., and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Ariz. Janet Halstead, executive director of the Chicago-based Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, said that advocates could tweak their nomination in an attempt to win inclusion on the list when the committee holds its annual meeting next summer.
Chicago Tribune
Miami on sale
Summer is low season in Miami, and the best deals are available now. The Betsy — South Beach, a boutique hotel built in 1942, offers 50 percent off Royal Suite bookings through Oct. 31; a fourth night in any room category is free through Aug. 31. At the W South Beach, besides a free fourth night, guests get $100 dining credit. At Circa 39, another boutique hotel, rates begin at just $100 a night from July through September. Meanwhile, more than 200 restaurants in Miami Beach and Greater Miami are involved in Miami Spice, a promotion from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30: three-course lunches are $23; three-course dinners, $39.
New York Times
Fire closes Big Sur parks
California's signature parks along the Big Sur coastline were closed last week as a major wildfire threatened the scenic region at the height of tourism season. The fire threatened a long stretch of pristine, forested mountains hugging the coast and sent smoke billowing over the famed Pacific Coast Highway, which remained open with few if any flames visible to motorists but a risk that the blaze could reach beloved campgrounds, lodges and redwoods near the shore. The parks draw 7,500 visitors daily from around the world for their dramatic vistas of ocean and mountains.
Associated Press
A travel-booking dream
Do all hotel booking sites look the same after a while? Get ready to be amazed. The website little.voyage opens the door to immersive travel. Hotels are grouped according to category: boutique, eco-friendly, fabulous, hideaway, quirky and shoestring. It's refreshing to search for travel by image and experience rather than destination and date. Succinct information directs travelers to local weather and time-to-go options, what makes the destination special and a shortlist of things to do.
Los Angeles Times
'Ghostbusters' in Big Easy
The Hilton New Orleans Riverside has a "Ghostbusters"-themed package tied to the movie release. The Ghost of a Good Time package starts at $170 per night and includes two tickets with New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tours, two tickets to the "Ghostbusters" movie at Canal Place, a $30 dining credit at Drago's Seafood Restaurant, two green cocktails made with Hi-C Ecto Cooler at Public Belt and a Marshmallow Man-themed dessert. Travel through Sept. 16 (1-504-561-0500; hiltonneworleansriverside.com; click on "special offers").
Washington Post
