Seattle Gay News announces "Best of Travel 2012"

Hotel Palomar Phoenix pool.

From the crowded streets of Tokyo to the remote beaches of Hawaii's Big Island, from the snowy Swiss Alps to the Arizona desert, and from sweet Belgian waffles in Brussels to buttery biscuits in Portland, Oregon the travel writing team at Seattle Gay News - Albert Rodriguez, Jessica Price and Jerry L. Peerson - made their selections for the "Best of Travel 2012".

From our trips last year, we chose our Top 10 or Top 5 in the categories below - Hotels, Restaurants, Bars/Lounges/Coffeeshops, Visitor Attractions/Tourist Activities and Transportation Services.  Mini descriptions for each can be seen by clicking on this link: http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews41_01/page27.cfm

HOTELS

1 The Burrard (Vancouver, BC Canada)
2 Crystal Hotel (Portland, Oregon USA)
3 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka’upulehu (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii USA - Island of Hawaii)
4 Hotel Five (Seattle, Washington USA)
5 Hotel Granvia Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
6 Hotel Palomar Phoenix (Phoenix, Arizona USA)
7 Park Hyatt Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
8 Post Hotel (Weggis, Switzerland)
9 Sheraton Stockholm (Stockholm, Sweden)
10 Renaissance Zürich Tower Hotel (Zurich, Switzerland)

RESTAURANTS

1 Bowery Restaurant & Bar (Brussels, Belgium)
2 Café Trio (Kansas City, MIssouri USA)
3 Collections Cafe (Seattle, Washington USA)
4 Gallo Blanco - (Phoenix, Arizona USA)
5 La Brasserie De Bruxelles (Brussels, Belgium)
6 Langa Raden (Stockholm, Sweden)
7 Pine State Biscuits (Portland, Oregon USA)
8 Royal Brasserie Bruxelles (Brussels, Belgium)
9 Scala Restaurant (Luzern, Switzerland)
10 ‘Ulu Ocean Girl at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii USA - Island of Hawaii)
 
BARS / LOUNGES / COFFEESHOPS

1 Bar Bridge (Tokyo, Japan)
2 Courier Coffee Roasters (Portland, Oregon USA)
3 Filmbar (Phoenix, Arizona USA)
4 Frenz-Frenzy (Osaka, Japan)
5 Kona Brewing Company's Kona Pub & Brewery (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii USA - Island of Hawaii)
6 Lux Central (Phoenix, Arizona USA)
7 Heile Welt (Berlin, Germany)
8 Louis Bar (Luzern, Switzerland)
9 Missie B’s (Kansas City, Missouri USA)
10 You Night Club (Brussels, Belgium)
 
VISITOR ATTRACTIONS / TOURIST ACTIVITIES

1 Belgian Pride (Brussels, Belgium)
2 Bike Hawaii (Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii USA - Island of Hawaii)
3 Chihuly Garden and Glass (Seattle, Washington USA)
4 Gay Ski Week (Arosa, Switzerland)
5 Manta Ray Snorkel with Kamanu Charters (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii USA - Island of Hawaii)
6 Hankyu Men's Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
7 Schwules Museum (Berlin, Germany)
8 Spa World (Osaka, Japan)
9 Stray Cat Theatre (Tempe, Arizona USA)
10 The Surf Bus (Haleiwa, Hawaii USA - Island of Oahu)
 
TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

1 All Nippon Airways 787/Dreamliner "Business Class" (Seattle to Tokyo)
2 Delta Air Lines "Business Elite" (Osaka to Seattle)
3 Hawaiian Airlines "Coach Class" (Seattle to Kona, via Honolulu)
4 Japan Railways Shinkansen (Bullet Train) "Ordinary Class" (Tokyo to Osaka)
5 Scandinavian Airlines “Economy Extra” (Berlin to Stockholm)

Seattle Gay News announces Best Albums and Singles of 2012

Seattle Gay News recently unveiled its choices for the top albums and singles of last year, included in our  "Best of Music 2012" spread (December 21 issue) that also featured an exclusive interview with hip hop star Macklemore.

Below are our picks, in ranking order.

ALBUMS / CDs

1 Channel Orange - Frank Ocean
2 Red - Taylor Swift
3 Boys & Girls - Alabama Shakes
4 Paradise - Lana Del Rey
5 Blunderbuss - Jack White
6 good kid, m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar
7 Bear Creek - Brandi Carlile
8 Visions - Grimes
9 The Lumineers - The Lumineers
10 Master of My Make-Believe - Santigold

 SINGLES / TRACKS

1 Spectrum (Say My Name) - Florence + the Machine
2 We Are Young - fun. (featuring Janelle Monae)
3 Adorn - Miguel
4 Blow Me (One Last Kiss) - Pink
5 Pyramids - Frank Ocean
6 Pontoon - Little Big Town
7 Yet Again - Grizzly Bear
8 Same Love - Macklemore (with Ryan Lewis, featuring Mary Lambert)
9 Bad Girls - M.I.A.
10 Hard to Love - Lee Brice