Ever looked out the window of an airplane and wondered what the junk you were looking at? Thanks to the new book America from the Air, travelers along the most popular air routes in the U.S. will finally be able to answer that question. The 352-page book by coauthors Daniel Mathews and James Jackson includes aerial photos and descriptions of sites that have mystified window-seaters for decades. A CD-ROM version gives light travelers a way to take this resource along without the bulk.

Tray-Table Book: A New Air-Travel Guide to What You’re Flying Over

Foodies know how much a Michelin star means. If you aren’t already aware of how persnickety Michelin tends to be with its coveted stars, consider the fact that not even one restaurant in the whole of Los Angeles was good enough to score three stars in the first and recently published guide devoted to that city. The first editions of the Michelin Guide Los Angeles and the Michelin Guide Las Vegas are being celebrated this week with parties in their respective cities.

Here are the lucky dining destinations that won two or more stars in Los Angeles:

Melisse

Spago

Urasawa

And in Las Vegas:

Alex at Wynn Las Vegas (2)

Guy Savoy at Caesar’s Palace (2)

Picasso at the Bellagio (2)

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand (3)

You can find the complete ratings at this link: Michelin Unveils First-Ever Restaurant and Hotel Selections for Los Angeles and Las Vegas

Insider It Gear 11.08.07

Too Cool for Ski School

Looking for a snowboard helmet with as much style as the rest of your gear? The R.E.D. Revolt Snowboard Helmet in the Doze Green Art design is one of the latest items to hit Burton’s online store. This sleek brain-saver comes with removable earpads, a two-position detachable goggle clip and hidden rider-controlled vents to keep your noggin’ at the right temperature. Plus, it looks a helluva lot cooler than your average helmet.

Cost: $90

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Okay, maybe it’s not the sexiest travel book in the world, but travelers who want to geek-out with oodles of practical information will certainly find it within this volume’s pages. The 200t edition of the Airport Transit Guide includes practical information for getting to and from 460 airports around the world. You’ll find current information for each airport’s different ground transportation and public transit options and their corresponding fares, schedules, routes and contact information. Perfect gift for any traveler hitting multiple cities during an extended trip.

Cost: $9.95

Little Red Lifeline

Attention MacGyver wannabes: the candy apple red Portable Power Generator, new from the National Geographic online store, just might knock your burliest hiking socks off. It’s the sort of device that is truly useful for hardcore outdoors folk, but promises just as much fun for gear nerds of all kinds – no matter how far out in the wilderness they actually travel. Check out this unit’s bevy of features:

- 200-watt generator
- 5-LED flashlight
- Fluorescent lantern
- Emergency siren
- 12-volt sealed battery
- AC/DC adapters
- 120-volt AC outlet
- 12-Kelvin DC output
- 7-band AM/FM/NOAA radio
- 250-psi air compressor with hose, gauge and needle
- Thermometer
- Compass
- Clock

Basically, this little machine could seriously save your arse in quite a few sticky situations.

Cost: $119.95

Attention Not-Starving Artists

The Signat Medium Attache A4 DLX from Samsonite Black Label not only has a really long name, but it also has a stand-out design and hipster-friendly features sure to make any jetsetter feel a surge of envy. Outside, the ABS shell with aluminum frame comes in five punchy colors and fits into a woven leather sleeve outfitted with a shoulder strap for easier carrying. Inside, the 1960s-inspired pop-art print lining graces separate cell phone and PDA pockets, as well as a removable, matching portfolio folder, pencil case and internal divider panel. The bottom line: She ain’t cheap, but she sho’ is pretty.

Cost: $360

Whether you fancy yourself a real traveling gumshoe or freely admit you need a little sleuthing done on your behalf, Peter Greenberg’s Travel Detective Bible, which hit bookstores today, is a read you won’t want to miss. As travel editor for the Today show, America Online and CNBC, Greenberg has plenty of opportunity to explore both the routine aspects of travel and the nooks and crannies that most occasional travelers miss. After all, the guy travels over 400,000 miles a year. Copied from his web site, here’s a summary of what you’ll find between the covers:

* How to make reservations that actually protect your rights.

* How to find out the real country-by-country requirements for flying internationally.

* How to pack and what never to pack.

* How to avoid draconian overweight bag fees.

* How to avoid being a tourist and travel to safe places that fearful travelers avoid.

* What rights aren’t revealed but may be covered by your credit card.

* How to finess the upgrade –anywhere, and almost anytime

* Important (and not often disclosed) safety and legal tips about traveling with children

The book is available in paperback from Rodale, $17.95.

Want to meet Peter in person? Check out his book tour schedule.

Proving that the general population has a growing and insatiable appetite for travel information, tips and advice, Sherman’s Travel magazine is moving from a subscription-only basis to the newsstand. This month, the magazine will be popping up at Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores around the country. You’ll also find copies available in select airport lounges from Continental, Delta and United Airlines. It’s quite a feat for a publication launched by an online company (these things usually happen the other way around). For the uninitiated, the magazine strives to strike a middle ground between the uber budget-minded traveler and the luxury traveler. It’s for travelers who think about how much money they’re spending when they travel, but don’t necessarily eschew high-end hotels or adventures when they’re priced right.

But what we really want to know is when we’ll be able to pick up a copy at the airport newsstand? I know, I know, patience.

Fancy yourself a good shot? Well then you’ve probably got the photographs to prove it. Put them to the test by submitting them to Budget Travel magazine. The editors will sift through their piles of submissions and use their favorite shot for the cover of their 10th anniversary issue, out June 2008. By Dec. 1, 2007, submit any photo (not the original, nothing will be returned) taken since 1998 with a resolution of 300 dpi or higher. Read the complete submission guidelines at Take Our Cover Photo.

Traveling foodies, cocktail denizens and frequent hotel guests will be pleased to know they can now access Zagat content directly through any web-enabled cell phone or mobile device. To use ZAGAT.mobi, just navigate to http://zagat.mobi to view free content, including contact information, directions to locations and links to basics like movie and airline schedules. Other free features include a Send to a Friend text message option. And if you already subscribe to Zagat, you’ll be able to get full ratings and review content for restaurants, nightlife destinations and hotels when you visit the site.

Here’s a cool new offering from Lonely Planet: Pick & Mix downloads that allow customers to buy individual chapters from Lonely Planet guidebooks and download them as PDFs. The Caribbean Islands, Latin America and South America are the first regions available through this buy-by-chapter download program. It’s a great option if you plan to visit, say, the Guatemala highlands and the Pacific Slope, but could care less about Guatemala City or Central and Eastern Guatemala. Just throw down for the chapters you need. And at $2 a pop, it’s totally affordable.

For well-mannered travelers, the Culture Smart guidebook series out from Random House promises to be that portable version of Emily Post you always wanted and never had. Each guide covers etiquette essentials for travelers, from how to handle business meetings to embarrassing social faux-pas. Guidebooks are available for 48 countries.

For 20 percent off at the Lonely Planet Shop, enter code UPDATE06 at checkout.