Drake’s Passage, a six-episode original travel series, premieres on Monday, August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT during FUEL TV’s “Raging Mondays” programming block. Produced by Red Bull Media House North America, Drake’s Passage takes viewers to iconic cities around the world and showcases them through the eyes of Drake McElroy, who is one of the most stylish, cultured and respected riders in the freestyle motocross world.

As a judge for the Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross world tour, McElroy visits several amazing locations where the competitions are held – Mexico City, Cairo, Madrid, Moscow, London and Rome. While on the road, there is no such thing as downtime. When he’s not in the judging booth, Drake hits the streets to see what some of the world’s largest and most dynamic cities have to offer. He explores what makes each location unique, including art, music, food and sports, as well as venturing off the beaten path.

In addition to soaking in the local flavor, McElroy immerses himself in the culture of motorcycles in each country, where despite their cultural differences, riders share one common bond – the love of the motorcycle. “I have been able to shine a light into parts of the world that were only shadows in my brain,” explains McElroy. “Our goal is to keep it off-the-cuff and in the moment, and I’ve found going into situations with no expectations yield better than expected results. It’s a sheepish riot. You may laugh more times than you have phalanges to count. Tune in, you might learn something.”

This is not your typical travel show. This is Drake’s Passage.

Drakes’ Passage starts Monday, August 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

1. Fremont Street

The Fremont Street Experience is a haven for the vestige of the lusty old Vegas that once lived. It’s a glorious display of neon and hope. Taking a cue from Hollywood Blvd., Fremont Street is littered with “Legends” who mill amongst the tourists, posing for pictures adding to the ambiance. And it’s awesome!

Plus from 8pm until 1am at night, the ceiling lights up for something called “Vista Vision.” Kiss Over Vegas was the soundtrack for our walk. Maybe Fremont Street is so awesome because they’re living like it’s 80′s. All summer long, Nina Blackwood’s Absolutely 80s concerts are keeping it unreal with free concert performances from Loverboy, Wang Chung and Howard Jones. Blackwood was one of the first 5 original VJs when MTV first launched (and played music videos) back in 1981. In fact, August 1 will mark the 30th anniversary of MTV. So let’s party like it’s 1985.

2. Blueberry Hill

Found my thrill, and it is not to be confused with the classic song by Fats Domino or the St. Louis home of Chuck Berry and Rock ‘n Roll. The Las Vegas Blueberry Hill Family Restaurants has been family owned and operated since 1966. Their specialty: Homemade Blueberry Pancakes. Blueberry Hill is more than just a family diner, it’s a way of life. The sound system pumps in Oldies but Goodies like Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise,” Clarence “Frogman” Henry’s “Ain’t Got No Home” and Fat’s Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” (did you really think they wouldn’t play that one?!). It’s like if the soundtrack to American Graffiti spawned a utopian society that existed only within its walls.

There’s nothing cool about Blueberry Hill, except that it’s so uncool it’s cool. Which is… totally cool. As evidence when a group of young men, purported to be the eletro rock band The Anix, rolled up for breakfast (in a van shrink wrapped with their logo, so it was easy to figure out who they were). You never know who you’ll meet at Blueberry Hill.

3. G-ma Nancy Hip-Hop Rapper

Somehow, through the magic of Blueberry Hill no doubt, G-ma Nancy appeared. She’s a grandma and she likes to rap. And she has a message, and by golly you’ll listen.

“I do anti-gangster rap,” she explains. Which may or may not explain why she ended up in Vegas. Sharing is caring, so here’s a video of her “It’s Ok To Snitch Rap” from a Target parking lot in Las Vegas.

4. You Can Rent Fat Mike’s Vegas Punk House!

Yes, that’s right: Fat Mike from NOFX has a Vegas Punk House. And you and 9 and of your closest friends can sleep (and party) there. Think B&B for dignified punks, only the beds are bunk beds and other B is Beer.

“It’s my house for adults that live like teenagers,” Fat Mike says on the website. There’s also a salt water pool, a cave grotto hot tub, 9-hole putting green, pinball machine, pool table, and so much more.

http://vegaspunkhouse.com/

5. Endless amounts of Vegas Souvenirs

Kitsch gone wild. And completely irresistible. How many keychain bottle openers/mugs/personalized license plates/shot glasses does one need? A LOT! And The Hip Sack will never go out of fashion as long as Las Vegas makes branded souvenirs.

6. Hidden in Plain Sight: Cool Corner of Awesome

Tucked at the end (or beginning, depending on how you measure) of Fremont Street at 6th is a pretty cool corner. On one corner sits the historic El Cortez. Across the street from there is a rather enticing spot with bright flashing lights called Mamita’s Mexican Cuban Restaurant. The food is as delicious as the decor. And the one laser disc they own plays on repeat tracks like the “Macarena,” “Mambo No. 5″ and Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine’s “Conga.” We couldn’t eat fast enough to avoid the disc repeating. But the agony made the experience all that more Vegas-y. It just wouldn’t end! And kitty-corner to Mamita’s is the equally enticing Emergency Arts at the Fremont Center which houses the Burlesque Hall Of Fame, and The Beat Coffeehouse And Records. Real Espresso drinks! Real sandwiches with fresh ingrediants! Cool air. Wifi. It’s kind of like home. A saving grace from the hustle and bustle of the slots and tables. And next door is the interesting Insert Coins, a video lounge game bar that looks futuristic. No kiddies! It’s 21 and over. Finally a fun place to play videos games and get plastered besides your parents’ basement! Only bummer is you’d probably have to wear more than your boxer shots.

7. Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival

It happens once a year, and it’s the best reason to have to go to Las Vegas. What started 13 years ago as a modest bowling tournament for a few punk record labels has exploded into a full-blown weekend of bowling and punk rock. The 12,000 music fans who descend upon the city bounce from club to club for exclusive shows, including reunions from Down By Law and All. All’s set included appearances from all three singers who have fronted the band since its inception. San Francisco’s Swingin’ Utters played the opening night party at Azul Tequila, basked in the glow from the glamourous El Cortez hotel and casino. Catch Swingin’ Utters at Hootenanny 2011 on July 2 in Irvine, California.

www.punkrockbowling.com/

8. Mystic Falls Park

Las Vegas has a plethora of water shows like the Treasure Island pirate show and the Bellagio Fountains. But none can compare to the serene wonder of the Mystic Falls Park show at Sam’s Town. It’s called Sunset Stampede, and with dancing waters, laser lights and a blistering soundtrack of the old west, it is best enjoyed amongst friends. Late at night (the 10pm show is really the best). After a few rounds from the bar.

9. Crashing Pool Parties!

Sneak into the pool at the MGM Grand Hotel to ride the lazy river, or crash a fabulous bash poolside at the Palms or Hard Rock. So it’s always great to find a killer pool party like the one Old Man Markley played at the Gold Spike a few weeks ago.

10. Elvis really IS Everywhere!

He really is! Everywhere you turn, there’s Elvis.

And those 10 things make Vegas not totally suck.

Words and photos by Lisa Johnson

Panicking that I was missing out on the nightlife, I asked around if anything was still happening and received a unanimous response that I should head over to Khaosan Road. Like a careful little tourist, I got specific directions from my hotel concierge and jumped into my cab, prepared to give the driver a play-by-play of how to get from point A to point B. He looked at me with a grin and said “Khaosan Road! Everyone goes there. I don’t need the map” and we were off.

When we arrived, my fears of the city falling asleep at the normal American closing time of 2 a.m. were quickly swept aside. We pulled up to a street with a giant banner that read “Khaosan Songkran Festival 2011” and the party began.

The first order of business was to get some late night grub from a Pad Thai cart that went by – probably the best $1 meal I’ve had in a while. My eyes moved on to a cart full of fried bugs and being the kooky tourist that I am, I had to try one. I decided to forgo the fried scorpion and grasshopper option and selected a good old-fashioned bamboo worm. My 20 baht bought me an entire bag, which really was a bit excessive. After dipping the worm into some mysterious sauce, I shoved it in my mouth and chewed away. The first attempt at video taping this insect eating fiasco resulted in my head being cut off on camera so I was in fact forced, for the sake of my memories, to eat two. Let me just tell you they do not taste like chicken.

We bounced around from bar to bar and made friends with the other crazy tourists on the block. The bootleg merch was something to be admired and I watched as fake ID salesmen worked their magic and “Converse” shoes and “Prada” purses were purchased at a price that was too good to be true. Passing by a store, I noticed a small creature wearing a collar with a bell inside of an upside down laundry basket. Upon closer inspection, it was a tiny squirrel named Tutti. The owner asked if I wanted to hold him and he crawled all over my back before I handed him back, mentally crossing holding a squirrel off of my ever growing to do list.

The streets were filled with music and people spilling out of sidewalk cafes and bars. Thai massages were performed on the street corners and everywhere I looked I was confronted by someone getting a foot rub or smoking a hookah pipe. Artists spread out blankets and sat on the sidewalk to create their masterpieces in front of crowds of admirers. There were break-dancers, children stacking beer bottles in artsy formations for tips, and street dogs wearing I heart Bangkok t-shirts. The evening was full of people watching and dancing and drinking and bartering with vendors (they always sell you things for less – all you have to do is walk away).

Towards the end of the night and just as I was beginning to wonder where all this shady Bangkok business that I kept hearing about was, a man tapped my arm and politely asked if we’d be interested in following him down an alley and taking in a ping pong show. I told him we’d have to pass. We had all the Bangkok that we needed for that particular night but promised if we were ever in the area again to look him up.

Never a dull moment on Khaosan Road.

Words by Nicole Pajer

Since then, Pompeii has been compared to Las Vegas because of all the hedonistic amusements discovered within its walls over the past few centuries. Undeniably, the city’s substantial “red light” district – with brothels, erotic [to put it mildly] frescoes and phalluses carved into its cobblestones, as well as sophisticated bath houses [featuring such luxuries like heated floors], certainly paint an image of a pleasure-seeking community. Still, the Christian implication that Pompeii was condemned by god because of its extravagance seem unjust – what’s so wrong with living life to its fullest? Besides a burgeoning sex industry, Pompeii had its share of temples, swimming pools, markets, homes as well as a state of the art aqueduct and an amphitheater – all signs of an advanced community dedicated to making the most out of everyday existence.

Today, about one third of Pompeii is open to the public, and many of its treasures, including the famous plaster casts [remains of the eruption's victims, preserved by means of filling air pockets left by decayed flesh in fossilized ash with plaster], have been moved to the Archaeological Museum of Naples. The surrounding area thrives, naturally, on tourism. Restaurants and a souvenir market encircle the site of what surely was, in its day, the happiest place on earth.

Words and Photos by Zoetica Ebb

You could spend days wandering round the Vatican Museum’s halls, but if you have to pick just a couple, the Gallery of Tapestries is a must-see. Here, floor-to-ceiling textiles come alive with detailed, larger-than-life figures frozen in biblical scenes. Crimson, azure and gilded threads weave together into fairytale motifs, and even the curtained windows [dim light is necessary to protect colors from fading] can’t subdue the opulent glow of these masterpieces.

A visit to the Gallery of Maps is required viewing for any cartophile. Commissioned in 1580, this gallery is completely covered in trompe-d’œil frescos depicting topographical maps of Italy, surrounded by cherubs, sea creatures, ships and other faux reliefs. Each section bursts with color and showcases a district, as well as its most distinguished city.

Saint Peter’s Basilica’s legend suggests that its namesake –saint Peter, one of the Jesus Christ’s twelve apostles– is buried beneath the  foundation. There is some historical evidence to support this, too, though we man never know for certain. Not that it matters all that much – this place is 100% magical regardless of what you choose to believe. Seriously, no number of churches could prepare a visitor for the splendor inside. The Basilica houses Michelangelo’s Pieta, but even this incredible sculpture is dwarfed by the immense power of the architecture surrounding it.

It’s clear that this crowning achievement of Renaissance architecture is meant to invoke absolute awe, and I challenge every one of you not to feel some degree of reverence while inside. You might expect the gold and marble and the cherubs and lions and angles and even the pope sarcophagi, but still, you won’t be ready. The immense statues of perpetually scornful, long-gone popes, the giant letters spelling out your soul’s eternal salvation [alternately, doom] above them, the spears of light piercing consecrated dusk from one of the world’s largest domes are here to make you feel tiny and grateful to be alive, and they will succeed, every time.

And what could be better after having the foundation of your very being shaken, than some light shopping? Vatican’s souvenir stores will outfit you with rosaries [made from and smelling like actual roses] and every manner of pope-related gift you can imagine – all with an optional blessing at no extra charge.

Words and photos by Zoetica Ebb

“The average American consumes a whopping 34GB of data and 100,000 words of information per day.”  Holy overload Batman!  Thankfully, some of that information I shot in Detroit Rock City was pretty easy on the eyes.

Photos by Dustin Downing

“Graffiti and graffito are from the Italian word graffiato (“scratched“)”

As I travel this diverse landscape of ours I oft notice the “gifts” given by the unknown artists of the streets.  I say this with a light tone as I know not all are in it for the progression of their respectful specialties(tagging, stencil, aerosol,etc.). Often there is undue property damage and defacing, but there will be no judging here. I hope to use “scRatched” as a way for you to tour the same “galleries” I am afforded in my travels. Enjoy.

I have utmost admiration for any artist, who understands that the creation of the piece itself, most likely assures it’s eventual destruction.

Words and photos by Dustin Downing

]]> http://www.chinashopmag.com/2010/06/scratched-detroit-style/feed/ 1 http://www.chinashopmag.com/2009/09/frolic-in-the-fairfax-farmers-market/ http://www.chinashopmag.com/2009/09/frolic-in-the-fairfax-farmers-market/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:06:56 +0000 Zoetica Ebb http://chinashop.designenginela.com/?p=6190 Continue reading →]]>

Fall has come to LA. Sort of. While we’re trying to shake the September gloom that visits SoCal every year there are plenty of delicious benefits to be reaped. Take the Farmers’ Market on Fairfax, for instance. Whether you plan to sticking to your raw/vegan/liquid diet or aim to search and destroy an assortment of baked delights under the season’s hazy sunshine, this is the place to be. Tons of international restaurants and a maze or produce are sure to offer something you can’t live without – last week I fell victim to an incredible batch of guacamole, cherries and a large jar of caramel sauce. Mmm.Visitors can sit down for a meal or browse the isles – shiny vegetables piled high, stacks of home-made chocolate-covered everything, spices and teas are just some of the treats available. The official Farmer’s Market event takes place on Fridays and Saturdays, but the restaurants are open daily. Resistance is futile.

Words and photos by Zoetica Ebb

At the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California, the Santa Monica pier stretches into the ocean. Though open daily, on weekends it overflows with humans and their young – mesmerized by shiny arcades, slightly overpriced restaurants and hobos trying to escape kamikaze flocks of shit-shooting seagulls. Smells of cheeseburgers, sea and teenage love mingle with radiating smiles of green plastic lizards exhibiting themselves on the side, price tags on their tails. A roller-coaster full of children roars through the air. The first and only solar powered Ferris Wheel towers above it all. The sun dips its lower end into the ocean, street performers and fishermen smile into the pink rays enveloping the beach before the onset of night.

Words and photos by Zoetica Ebb