tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52229108818192123852024-03-13T06:30:28.960-04:00Charm City TravelerTravel, Food, Points, and Anything Else Worth Chatting About!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-86848187320774404132012-10-05T11:03:00.003-04:002012-10-05T11:03:17.934-04:00Aloha Means Hello and (Temporarily) Goodbye?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More so than I ever imagined, I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this blog each and every day. I have talked to a lot of readers, whether they be friends, family, or new faces that I met through the site. It seems like each person takes something new from it, so your enthusiasm has really kept me motivated and excited to churn out new content.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A couple of weeks ago, I applied for an internship to begin writing for the website <a href="http://milevalue.com/" target="_blank">MileValue</a>. The site administrator is really interested in creating easy and rational explanations of the myriad promotions offered by airlines and hotels. His valuations of miles and hotel points allow readers to make analytic decisions on whether they should stay at a certain hotel brand, fly a certain carrier, and take part in a particular deal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am writing several times a week recapping the hot topics being discussed on such popular frequent flyer message boards as FlyerTalk and MilePoint. When I have enough posts under my belt, I will make sure to link them here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the meantime, this site will <b>NOT</b> be shuttering its doors. I will still be posting hotel and restaurant reviews, along with some other random musings and pictures. I have received a lot of positive feedback on my travel reviews, so I will be sure to keep them coming.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Check out <a href="http://milevalue.com/" target="_blank">MileValue</a> and all it has to offer. <b>Make sure to check back here often as well</b>. I will be posting good articles and travel reviews as they come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until next time, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-91202428537526761612012-09-27T11:13:00.002-04:002012-09-27T11:13:25.555-04:00The Wacky Things I've Done For Points & Miles (Part I)<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm very reticent to share these details, but here goes. Many people wonder how I have amassed over 2.5 million frequent flyer miles in the span of about four years. I've certainly earned through conventional methods such as staying in hotels or taking flights (or even apply for a credit card or two), but to really ramp up the earning, I have also done some pretty oddball things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If this post is successful, it will probably turn into an ongoing series detailing all the zany ways I've upped my balances. But for now, I will hit on the greatest one of all, <b>the Presidential $1 coin shuffle</b>!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Back in 2009, the <a href="http://www.usmint.gov/" target="_blank">U.S. Mint</a> started a program intended to circulate $1 coins throughout communities across the country. Individuals were encouraged to purchase the $1 coins at face value and then spend them at places like dry cleaners, farmer's markets, local restaurants, and any other places where using a credit card was not available or frowned upon.</span><br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb6ZL9AXxLY/UE_T8SpMS0I/AAAAAAAAAuk/d8hfR-4sGQQ/s1600/US+Mint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb6ZL9AXxLY/UE_T8SpMS0I/AAAAAAAAAuk/d8hfR-4sGQQ/s320/US+Mint.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free Miles From The Government?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The spirit of the program certainly had noble intentions, but there was one large issue: coins could be purchased with <b>ANY</b> credit card at face value.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Very quickly, folks in the frequent flyer community figured out how to "game" the system. People used their travel credit cards to purchase sets of $1 coins (sold in heavy boxes of $500). When the shipped coins arrived on their doorstep, they immediately deposited them in their bank and used the money to pay off their credit card statement (now showing a $500 charge for the coins). The effect? Unlimited frequent flyer miles!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There were of course drawbacks to this "scheme." Holding onto that many coins was risky, especially if UPS misplaced a shipment or two. They were also <i>INCREDIBLY</i> heavy. I remember nearly passing out trying to lug $2,000 to a bank in the middle of summer. Some more, ahem, zealous frequent flyers were depositing upwards of $20,000 every week! Don't believe me? Check out the screen shot below from a frequent flyer named "<a href="http://www.themrpickles.com/blog1/" target="_blank">Mr. Pickles</a>."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyIJFdt-KB4/UE_UlU0KPDI/AAAAAAAAAus/ln0mqE50ktA/s1600/Mr-Pickles-Interview-with-Mr-Pickles-Coins-in-box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TyIJFdt-KB4/UE_UlU0KPDI/AAAAAAAAAus/ln0mqE50ktA/s320/Mr-Pickles-Interview-with-Mr-Pickles-Coins-in-box.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's Heavy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As you can imagine, this frenzy caught on quickly and soon banks were inundated with these coins. The Mint began to impose purchase limits ($1,000 every 10 days) and then eventually restricted orders to money order payments before the program finally died a noble death last year. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of miles were earned by frequent flyers across the country, all while getting some exercise via heavy lifting!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I certainly got strange looks explaining this method to friends and family, but it was a great way to supplement my mileage accounts. What do you guys think? Should I have been locked up for such as a crazy scheme? Would you like this to become an ongoing series? <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">Drop me an email</a> or leave a comment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-20901693847291676672012-09-26T10:07:00.002-04:002012-09-26T10:11:39.575-04:00Introducing The Frugal Lawyer!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some of my most popular posts over the past two months have centered around great airfare deals, such as the flash <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/jetblue-fare-sale-one-day-only.html" target="_blank">JetBlue one-day sale</a> and incredible fares to Hawaii found <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/09/new-york-to-hawaii-for-482.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/east-coast-fares-to-hawaii-from-569.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the popularity of "deal-finding" on a meteoric rise, I wanted to reach out to a close friend to hopefully share some insight with you. Nicknamed "<a href="https://twitter.com/Frugal_Lawyer" target="_blank">The Frugal Lawyer</a>," he constantly scours the internet for great bargains on just about everything. When I need to make a major (or minor) purchase, I usually consult with him first.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXi5ZmEiqMQ/UFnlRU7FjII/AAAAAAAAA28/kTja9_an61w/s1600/Doug+Rubin.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXi5ZmEiqMQ/UFnlRU7FjII/AAAAAAAAA28/kTja9_an61w/s200/Doug+Rubin.png" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Frugal Lawyer Himself</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hopefully he will share some of his tricks and methodology in future posts on how to nab that perfect deal. In the meantime, let me introduce you to the Frugal Laywer via a comprehensive Q&A session!</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">How and/or why did you get into
deal-finding? What's special about your methodology?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I feel like I get ripped-off,
it <i>really</i> bothers me. I can't really explain it, but it
gives me a knot in my stomach. So, I just try not to rush into any
decision and just do as much research as possible. For major purchases, I
just take my time and get a sense for that good prices are. Then, when a
great deal comes along, I feel comfortable to grab it quickly. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What websites do you use to find
your deals and how often do you check them?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I use a couple of different sites,
namely <a href="http://dealnews.com/" target="_blank">DealNews</a> and <a href="http://slickdeals.net/" target="_blank">SlickDeals</a>. I found dealnews first, and check it periodically
throughout the day. What really impressed me was that it doesn't just
list a sale. It tells you if it's the lowest price, by how much, and
compares it to times the item previously went on sale. Moreover, it has
an "<a href="http://dealnews.com/editors-choice/" target="_blank">Editor's Choice</a>" section for the truly crazy deals. If
you don't want to check the website throughout the day, you can sign up for the
dealnews newsletter where they simply email you the Editor's Choice deals for
that day. It's a great snapshot for bargains over the last 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ALSO, I rely on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Amazon</a> for a
majority of my purchases. If you don't have time to wait for a deal,
their prices are often the best. Though, there are ways to double-check
with Amazon as well. Did you know that prices for Amazon products can
shift daily? I often consult the ridiculously-named site: <span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="http://camelcamelcamel.com/">camelcamelcamel.com</a></span>.
This website tracks prices for every product sold on Amazon and can give
you a line graph for recent price fluctuations. So, let's say you are
interested in a particular toaster. You plug the Amazon product link into
this website, and you see that it was $10 less last month. If you are not
in a rush, you can set an email alert where they will notify you when the price
drops again. It's awesome. </span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What's the one thing my readers can
do to save money that they don't do already?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There
are tons of way to save money <i>every single day</i>. The biggest
thing is to avoid monthly fees whenever possible. People are also ripped
off every day by cable companies, cell phone carriers, and drug stores.
There are really interesting (and totally viable) ways to cut down on
those monthly costs, and I'd love to elaborate on them another time!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>What's the single most successful
deal you've ever encountered and why?</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A couple of incredible deals come to
mind, and with them came some valuable lessons. My first crazy deal
involves Joseph A Bank, the notoriously deal-happy mens clothing store.
They advertise deals CONSTANTLY, and it's easy to lump them all together.
The trick is not to get suckered in, and wait for the "big one"
- when their <i>clearance</i> merchandise is marked off an <i>additional</i> 50%
off. These deals come around a couple of times a year, and you have to
watch for them closely. One day a couple of years ago I literally
stumbled into the deal when I was walking past one of their stores. When
I did some poking around, I saw a $1000 suit marked down to $200.
To this day, it's my favorite suit. And I still watch carefully for
that sale - it's also a great way to get $100 dress shirts for $20 (they make
great gifts for family - and people think you spent way more than you did).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-98eU4kmYeDg/UFnmgkW7B-I/AAAAAAAAA3E/wfy_AXefaHY/s1600/JOSABANK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-98eU4kmYeDg/UFnmgkW7B-I/AAAAAAAAA3E/wfy_AXefaHY/s320/JOSABANK.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of Deals to be Had at Jos. A. Bank</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>How does your spouse feel about your
deal-finding. Does she support it?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am exceedingly fortunate in this
regard. My wife and I are both incredibly frugal, so we are 100% on the
same page about the importance of savings. I am clearly more obsessive
about it, but I am slowly converting her to the dark side of deal finding. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>What is your "most
memorable" deal? </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My most memorable deal is also my
most shameful, but I honestly love the story. One day I was looking for
a new sportcoat on ebay. I found a really nice one in my size, and on a
hunch I clicked to view the other offering by this seller. Lo and behold, an
entire wardrobe was on sale! With no minimum bids! After an evening
of bidding against one or two pesky people, I walked away with two suits, a
sportcoat, three sweaters, and <i>eight</i> pair of fancy wool
slacks. I paid shockingly little money - I think I won one of the suits
for like $30. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After the bidding process, I
contacted the seller about consolidating shipping costs. She was happy to
oblige and was very polite. Unfortunately, she elaborated a bit about the
ownership of these garments, and it quickly became clear that this was an
estate sale (i.e. the previous owner had passed away). Some people
find this story to be very troubling, but I proudly wear these garments as a
badge of honor for the best best deal I have ever encountered. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>Any other parting suggestions/advice for my readers?</b></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do your research in
advance and be ready to pounce when you find that deal. I really enjoy
helping people find deals, but many people are so hesitant to pull the trigger
and miss out on the great ones. It can be frustrating to point people towards
one deal after another, only to watch each deal sell out before that person
summons the courage to make the purchase. Figure out the specs you need,
decide if refurbs are OK with you (hint: they should be), and grab that deal
before it goes away!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">----------------------------------------</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We look forward to having the Frugal Lawyer's contributions on this site. If you want to give him any suggestions on future posts, don't hesitate to <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">email me</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-83503895937499840412012-09-25T10:32:00.000-04:002012-09-25T10:54:24.265-04:00Interesting Travel Articles For the Day<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Time to shine those reading glasses and get ready for some more quality travel articles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first article, featured in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, discusses the increasing Americanization of the famous
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Champs-Élysées in Paris. A mecca of fashion and upscale shopping, the article points to the increasing number of fast food restaurants and traditionally American stores that are populating each side of the street. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">Many Parisians are distancing themselves from the area altogether, as its touristy nature of the street feels far removed from authentic French culture and fashion.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7g9tOw0QGEo/UFnfa0ivWtI/AAAAAAAAA2E/58696cdeDgA/s1600/DSC00602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7g9tOw0QGEo/UFnfa0ivWtI/AAAAAAAAA2E/58696cdeDgA/s320/DSC00602.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Champs-Élysées at night</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">The second article, from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/index.html" target="_blank">CNN Travel</a>, is a list of tips on staying healthy while traveling abroad. Many tourists have a large fear of getting sick while abroad, and this article spells out ways to minimize the frustration and confusion that comes with an illness while traveling. My top tip to take from this is know your own health insurance and its benefits (along with limitations). The last thing you want is to be stuck with a massive bill that comes from an evacuation back to the United States.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;">A close friend of mine was actually hurt in Poland while studying abroad, and his experience getting medical attention and transport back to the U.S. was harrowing, to say the least. Make sure to pay attention to this article if you are going somewhere with less than a first-rate reputation for urgent medical care.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/15/world/europe/americas-mass-market-invasion-of-the-champs-elysees.html?_r=0" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">New York Times: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 1.083em;">The Champs-Élysées, a Mall of America</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/13/health/stay-healthy-traveling-abroad/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_travel+%28RSS%3A+Travel%29" target="_blank">CNN Travel: Five Ways to Stay Healthy While Traveling Abroad</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-91459567274856262012012-09-24T09:59:00.000-04:002012-09-24T09:59:29.564-04:00The Key to the Travel Game? Flexible Points (Part I)<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently wrote a <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/rookie-introduction-to-points-and-miles.html" target="_blank">rookie introduction</a> to the points/miles collecting game, but I wanted to double back and add another important tip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many people I have talked to lately get incredibly frustrated when collecting and redeeming points. They fly their preferred airline a ton, save up a boat load of points, and when they are ready to book? Zero viable options for their travel dates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I don't know a lot of people with work schedules that can be changed on a whim. When folks make vacation plans, the dates are usually set in stone. If that sounds like you (and for the vast majority of America, it is), then I highly suggest you focus on accumulating <b><i>FLEXIBLE</i></b> points. These types of points can be transferred into multiple airline and hotel programs, allowing you to create a great vacation out of thin air. No longer will you look on <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/why-delta-skymiles-are-so-frustrating.html" target="_blank">Delta's website in disgust</a> and give up when there are no awards that fit your schedule. You will have options, and that goes a long way when booking travel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which are the best "flexible points" programs? There are three that come to mind. I will preview the Starwood points today, and the other two great flexible point programs (American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards) in the coming days. Make sure to catch all three posts.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DW4OcZKF3ag/UF9e-bupATI/AAAAAAAAA4c/bhGdCSIZk8s/s1600/SPG-Amex-credit-card1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DW4OcZKF3ag/UF9e-bupATI/AAAAAAAAA4c/bhGdCSIZk8s/s1600/SPG-Amex-credit-card1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Great Way to Accumulate Starpoints: The Starwood Preferred Guest American Express</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I already wrote up the Starwood Preferred Guest program <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/the-best-all-around-credit-card-for.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but I wanted to expand a bit on its usefulness. For me, there is no more valuable currency than Starpoints. I have the ability to redeem for some truly incredible hotels (think "W", St. Regis, and Westin properties) or I can turn them into airline miles in many programs at a 1:1 ratio.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The best part about transferring into airline miles? Starwood will kick in 5,000 miles for every 20,000 Starpoints you transfer. You can convert 20,000 Starpoints into 25,000 American Airlines miles. That's a nifty 25% bonus!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The list of transfer partners is truly expansive. The two I use most often are American Airlines and U.S. Airways, but there is value in swapping to others as well. I can't say enough good things about the potential transfer options.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j74SSjwncZg/UF9fYb806EI/AAAAAAAAA4k/KnLTfN44jqQ/s1600/Transfer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j74SSjwncZg/UF9fYb806EI/AAAAAAAAA4k/KnLTfN44jqQ/s320/Transfer.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Sample of the Many SPG Transfer Partners</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The only drawback is that transfers usually take 1-2 weeks, so planning ahead is very important when transferring. After all, an award ticket you see today might not be there when your transfer is finally completed. Also, Starwood is not the program to use if you value United miles. Starpoints transfer to United at a paltry 2:1 ratio, so you will really lose out by doing so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>Starwood Preferred Guest "Starpoints"</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Ways to Earn</i></b>: <a href="http://www304.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Starwood-Preferred" target="_blank">American Express Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card</a>, hotel stays in the Starwood brand (e.g. Westin, Sheraton).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Airline Transfer Partners</i></b>: American, Delta, U.S. Airways, Alaska, Hawaiian, British Airways (and that's just to name a few!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Hotel Transfer Partners</b>: None (but very useful at all Starwood branded hotels!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pros</b>: Variety of useful partners. 5,000 point bonus for every 20,000 Starpoints you transfer to an airline.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Cons</b>: Transfers are NOT instantaneous, so the award tickets you are eyeing could be gone by the time your transfer is complete. Transfers to United Airlines come at a very unfavorable ratio (2 Starpoints: 1 United mile) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have any questions about this post, don't hesitate to write me an email. I also respond to questions <a href="http://twitter.com/charmcityblog" target="_blank">on Twitter</a>. Keep the queries coming!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-81098696982160001302012-09-21T09:53:00.002-04:002012-09-21T09:53:19.691-04:00Photo of the Day #2<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another great morning, and another Photo of the Day. If you think you have an eye for travel photography, make sure to submit your best pictures to me <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">via email</a>. You could be featured in an upcoming Photo of the Day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The following picture is taken from near the military training facilities in Paris (<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">École Militaire) of the world famous Eiffel Tower. Most shots of the Eiffel Tower are from up close or from the other side Seine River. I was trying to capture something slightly unique in this staged shot. Hopefully you enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r7P1ANtFyvM/UFnhh5BnTVI/AAAAAAAAA2M/TDK4kKGpLWA/s1600/DSC00551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r7P1ANtFyvM/UFnhh5BnTVI/AAAAAAAAA2M/TDK4kKGpLWA/s320/DSC00551.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-65334379987492468222012-09-20T09:57:00.000-04:002012-09-20T09:57:45.393-04:00Hotel Review-Westin New York Times Square<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though I rarely travel for work, I had business to attend to in New York two weekends ago. I'm by no means an expert when it comes to the Big Apple, though I can at least attest I'm not overwhelmed when traveling there. It just so happens that my company was able to provide a room at the <a href="http://www.westinny.com/" target="_blank">Westin Times Square</a>, a property I've stayed at before during Christmas time. I redeemed points for a room on that stay that included free breakfast at the now-closed Atrium Club. It was a memorable trip, but this visit would be solid as well.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5bRKJG7Uqc/UFnQ_nG4IYI/AAAAAAAAA0g/Q0gBdsuYOsw/s1600/P9010134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5bRKJG7Uqc/UFnQ_nG4IYI/AAAAAAAAA0g/Q0gBdsuYOsw/s320/P9010134.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Hotel Towards Hectic Times Square</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I really enjoy the location of the Westin. Located at the corner of 43rd and 8th, the property is extremely close to the Times Square hornet's nest, but also far enough removed that the noise and crowds aren't overwhelming. Close to the subway and most Broadway theaters, I really can't say enough good things about it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqRZPnceivU/UFnRBJGVtvI/AAAAAAAAA00/TvgcjN4FSg8/s1600/P9010136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JqRZPnceivU/UFnRBJGVtvI/AAAAAAAAA00/TvgcjN4FSg8/s320/P9010136.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Hotel</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Westin's lobby is actually separated on two separate floors. The bottom level is for bag checks and a good meeting point for large parties. Late at night, security checks hotel keys to ensure only guests are permitted in the main lobby, a nice feature. The first floor also had a mock tennis court painted on the ground, a nice tip of the cap to the U.S. Open which was happening at the time of my stay.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ewv1yxhYddA/UFnQ-u15kfI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/3qLnDK_ZmUc/s1600/P9010133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ewv1yxhYddA/UFnQ-u15kfI/AAAAAAAAA0Y/3qLnDK_ZmUc/s320/P9010133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Floor Lobby</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o2F1329tad0/UFnQ9oev4vI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/msges2pVINE/s1600/P9010132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o2F1329tad0/UFnQ9oev4vI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/msges2pVINE/s320/P9010132.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tennis Anyone?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second floor lobby contains the check in area and the hotel's second restaurant, <a href="http://www.westinny.com/dining/bar10.html" target="_blank">Bar 10</a>. Though sometimes crowded, the space never felt noisy and featured plenty of comfortable chairs.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rHZCmCzeqM/UFnQ77xTgtI/AAAAAAAAAz8/6UeRiARgQe4/s1600/P9010130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rHZCmCzeqM/UFnQ77xTgtI/AAAAAAAAAz8/6UeRiARgQe4/s320/P9010130.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Check-In Area</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFZRXM9oVoE/UFnQ8refjYI/AAAAAAAAA0I/VVczEwVRuGU/s1600/P9010131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFZRXM9oVoE/UFnQ8refjYI/AAAAAAAAA0I/VVczEwVRuGU/s320/P9010131.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comfortable Second Floor Lobby Seating</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Due to my Starwood Preferred Guest <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/account/member_benefits/gold_preferred.html" target="_blank">Gold status</a>, I was assigned a room on the Starwood Preferred Guest floor. Before anyone gets too excited, most Sheraton and Westin properties have a Starwood floor, but I've never noticed a difference in room size or quality. The floor is usually one of the highest ones that provides (slightly) better views and quieter surroundings.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIDxNAUIajM/UFnQ4JC4IXI/AAAAAAAAAzc/3GPvM1LTP8k/s1600/P9010126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cIDxNAUIajM/UFnQ4JC4IXI/AAAAAAAAAzc/3GPvM1LTP8k/s320/P9010126.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Room Entrance</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My room was large by New York standards, and featured a Westin Heavenly King bed along with a desk for catching up on work. I have to hand it to Westin, I sleep more soundly on their mattresses than I do on mine at home! If they ever run <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/w-hotel-bed-sale-35-off.html" target="_blank">another big sale on beds</a>, you can be sure I'm buying.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sn-R6APCJ6E/UFnQtk51SDI/AAAAAAAAAx4/45PVS25Gau0/s1600/P8310111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Sn-R6APCJ6E/UFnQtk51SDI/AAAAAAAAAx4/45PVS25Gau0/s320/P8310111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comfy Westin Heavenly Bed</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFftvRdgOAQ/UFnQ3C4DxTI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/--PKdTpBFFk/s1600/P8310125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NFftvRdgOAQ/UFnQ3C4DxTI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/--PKdTpBFFk/s320/P8310125.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decent Desk and TV</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I should probably note here that my Gold status also got me free Wi-Fi. I found the internet speed to be blazing fast, an unusual rarity in hotels today. I was able to get plenty of work done at my desk during the trip, something I didn't even anticipate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The bathroom was small but functional, and featured the standard white tea amenities from Westin. The shower had dual heads, meaning water pressure was absolutely not an issue. One drawback, though, was the black tile on the floor and walls. It really showed some dirt and water splashes, so it had a rather grimy look, even when I first entered the room. I suppose you could chalk that up to being a well-traveled New York hotel.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgNk9_By7mU/UFnQvFgfaLI/AAAAAAAAAyI/QGc9NFyim40/s1600/P8310114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgNk9_By7mU/UFnQvFgfaLI/AAAAAAAAAyI/QGc9NFyim40/s320/P8310114.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small but Usable Bathroom, Can You Spot What's Odd?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L7feLqvNN6w/UFnQv3RbniI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/ux_AfoW2FjA/s1600/P8310115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L7feLqvNN6w/UFnQv3RbniI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/ux_AfoW2FjA/s320/P8310115.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westin White Team Amenities</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I mentioned before, the <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/preferredguest/index.html" target="_blank">Starwood Preferred Guest</a> floor is one of the highest in the hotel. My room had a really great view to the north of both Times Square and the larger buildings in Manhattan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall, my stay at the <a href="http://www.westinny.com/" target="_blank">Westin Times Square</a> was extremely pleasant. All the staff I interacted with showed a friendly demeanor, and my room was perfectly suitable, especially by New York standards. I enjoy being slightly removed from the Times Square tourist mayhem as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though I have another trip planned to New York in December, hopefully I will be able to review another property for you guys. Otherwise, it might be back to the comfortable Westin!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-44989418905357211882012-09-19T12:15:00.000-04:002012-09-19T12:15:30.575-04:00Another JetBlue One-Day Mega Sale!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my more popular posts of all time centered around a <a href="http://www.jetblue.com/" target="_blank">JetBlue</a> one-day flash sale <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/jetblue-fare-sale-one-day-only.html" target="_blank">back in August</a>. The deals were truly incredible, and it looks like they are back at it once again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">JetBlue is holding another sale through most of its cities through <b>MIDNIGHT TONIGHT </b>(September 19). Though folks residing in the New York and Boston area will probably get the most value out of this, there are still great deals to be had. I noticed a Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco round trip for only $238! Wow!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yy3ed94bofU/UFnp_5LNU8I/AAAAAAAAA3w/QJ1B_JFvHpE/s1600/JetBlue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yy3ed94bofU/UFnp_5LNU8I/AAAAAAAAA3w/QJ1B_JFvHpE/s320/JetBlue.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Day Only!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can click on <a href="http://www.jetblue.com/deals/fare-weather-sale/?intcmp=HPHero01_Eng__fare-weather-sale20120906" target="_blank">this link to see the deals</a> between all city pairs. Fine print details of the promotion are below, but again, you have until midnight tonight to book, so get moving!</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Book by September 19, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fares not available on Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Travel October 10-December 12, 2012. Blackout dates are November 16-26, 2012.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-4858857069573414662012-09-19T09:42:00.003-04:002012-09-19T10:53:08.360-04:00Interesting Travel Articles For The Day<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are some more great travel articles to start your day along with your morning cup of coffee.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/09/11/american-airlines-first-get-faa-approval-use-ipads-all-phases-flight-saving-1-2m/" target="_blank">first article</a> discusses American Airlines and their new technology integration. With newly granted FAA approval, the hope is for pilots to replace their thick flight manuals with brand-new iPads. Though pilots were first granted approval to use iPads in the cockpit in 2011, this news tidbit shows that American is serious about rolling them out for both pilots and flight attendants alike by the end of 2013. The hope is to reduce paper (and believe me, pilot's logs and manuals have plenty to spare) and provide pilots/passengers with the most updated weather and airport information. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j9PAK-pvIZs/UFnLhTJTPYI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/yqBPPzG_Cgg/s1600/St.+Lucia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j9PAK-pvIZs/UFnLhTJTPYI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/yqBPPzG_Cgg/s320/St.+Lucia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breathtaking View in St. Lucia</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second article, from <a href="http://travel.usnews.com/" target="_blank">U.S. News Travel</a>, is a great slide show peeking at the ten best hotel rooms with spectacular views from around the world. The article does a great job of mixing in hotels from each continent (save Antarctica and South America). I also enjoy the fact that the vast majority of the hotels don't belong to any loyalty program. That makes the list seem a bit more unattainable. Trust me, I would love to redeem points and stay at the Shangri-La Paris, but the fact that I can't makes the property that much more desirable. Does that even make sense? I suppose the old adage of you want what you can't have applies here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://thenextweb.com/apple/2012/09/11/american-airlines-first-get-faa-approval-use-ipads-all-phases-flight-saving-1-2m/" target="_blank">The Next Web: American Pilots Get Full FAA Approval for iPads in Cockpits</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://travel.usnews.com/gallery/Hotel_Rooms_with_the_Best_Views/InterContinental_Hotel_Hong_Kong_1782/" target="_blank">U.S. News Travel: Hotel Rooms With The Best Views</a></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.jademountain.com/" target="_blank">Jade Mountain</a>, St. Lucia</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just thought I would throw a few travel morsels your way to get the day started. Happy reading, everyone! Until tomorrow!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-41304483880279478592012-09-18T10:16:00.002-04:002012-09-18T10:16:16.911-04:00Reader Mailbag-Is the AA Card Right For Me?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's time for another reader mailbag. I have truly appreciated all of your emails and questions, so please <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">keep them coming</a>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reader Karen writes,</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I live in Dallas, so American Airlines is the airline I use most frequently. <span style="background-color: white;">I've been considering taking the plunge and getting an American Airlines Visa or Mastercard from Citibank, but am hesitant on getting another credit card, especially one with a $95 annual fee after the first year. Does this card make sense for me?"</span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Karen asks a very good question. With the host of benefits that travel credit cards are offering lately, it oftentimes makes sense to sign up for the credit card on your preferred airline.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2XyMxPDcMU/UFfj_t1IDyI/AAAAAAAAAwA/0GyzYBV_cV8/s1600/AA+citi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a2XyMxPDcMU/UFfj_t1IDyI/AAAAAAAAAwA/0GyzYBV_cV8/s320/AA+citi.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of Benefits With the Citi AA Visa</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Although she didn't specify, it sounds like Karen flys <a href="http://www.aa.com/homePage.do" target="_blank">American Airlines</a> a fair amount, but not enough to enjoy elite status. If that's the case, then she should absolutely apply for the card. The <a href="http://creditcards.citicards.com/usc/Travel/AA/Q3/2012/Dual/40k/LTO/default.htm?app=UNSOL&sc=4XKIWH32&m=918KZZZZZZW&langId=EN&siteId=CB&B=S&screenID=3001&intc=3~1~58~4~083012~1~Aadvantage~AAdvantage40KLTO_AadvantageCreditCards&BT_TX=1&ProspectID=C0C7EA7A0ACA42928C94AC4EF4EAF01C" target="_blank">AA Visa offered by Citi</a> really takes the sting out of not having elite status with American. The card has benefits such as a free checked bag for up to four travelers on the same reservation, priority boarding (to avoid wrestling for overhead space), and double miles on all American flights purchased with the card. Those three benefits alone are probably worth the $95 annual fee after the first year, especially if Karen is a regular on American. If she is still worried about the fee after the first year, she can reevaluate her travel after the year expires and cancel the card without penalty..</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">For a limited time, the card also comes with a 40,000 mile sign-up bonus. That's more than enough miles for a domestic roundtrip or even a more interesting off-peak saver award. Glancing at <a href="http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/free-ticket-award-chart.jsp" target="_blank">American's award chart</a>, those miles would be more than enough for an "off-peak" coach award to Central or South America. Wow! All for a simple credit card application.</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrpxYAmk2fM/UFfnLMX8nuI/AAAAAAAAAwo/X2fe-jxSeVQ/s1600/Argentina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrpxYAmk2fM/UFfnLMX8nuI/AAAAAAAAAwo/X2fe-jxSeVQ/s320/Argentina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get to Argentina By Signing Up For A Single Credit Card!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The fact that Karen resides in Dallas makes the decision an almost no brainer. She is probably very limited in her flight choices due to American focusing on Dallasas a hub. By grabbing the Citi AA Visa or Mastercard, she will be closer to an award ticket <b>AND</b> have her flight experiences be much more tolerable. Sounds like a winning proposition to me.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Questions? Comments? Remember to keep those <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">emails coming</a>, guys. You could be featured in a future Reader Mailbag post!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-33393687934100266732012-09-17T09:26:00.003-04:002012-09-17T09:26:58.841-04:00Restaurant Review-"Woodberry Kitchen"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My favorite restaurant in Baltimore is hands down <a href="http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/" target="_blank">Woodberry Kitchen</a>. The food is consistently fresh and delicious, and I really enjoy the atmosphere. Though I've dined at Woodberry several times, their famous brunch had long eluded me. Luckily, with a free afternoon, Ms. CCT and I decided to see what all the fuss was about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Located in the renovated <a href="http://clippermillbaltimore.com/" target="_blank">Clipper Mill complex</a>, Woodberry has a very spacious room with loft-style seating at the top. We have always been seated in the loft and specially requested it again this visit. The second level offers unique people watching opportunities, and the tables near the railing offer quite a bit more elbow room than the downstairs dining room.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRVZQr1qDdw/UEV7CMRNtEI/AAAAAAAAAmc/RMIn2Cu5ng4/s1600/iPhone+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hRVZQr1qDdw/UEV7CMRNtEI/AAAAAAAAAmc/RMIn2Cu5ng4/s320/iPhone+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great View From the Second Level</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The brunch menu had quite a few good options, but we both quickly settled on our entrees and appetizers. We had sampled the beignets at Spoons Cafe, our favorite breakfast spot in Federal Hill, so we were eager to try Woodberry's version. These mini bites were exceptional and coated in large sugar granuals. The accompanying fresh strawberry jam also made great dipping.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tRkRPK0Mao4/UE-63BQeMTI/AAAAAAAAAs0/7wpJNjQ_bn0/s1600/iPhone+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tRkRPK0Mao4/UE-63BQeMTI/AAAAAAAAAs0/7wpJNjQ_bn0/s320/iPhone+020.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beignets w/ Fresh Strawberry Jam</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After dismantling the appetizer, we moved onto main courses. Both of us agonized over what to choose, but in the end, my Southern roots took over. I went with a basil mint coffee and a plate of their signature chicken and waffles. Ms. CCT opted for the breakfast burger.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShOABdXuPCw/UE-63_oxHGI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Bw1jN1qlEpc/s1600/iPhone+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ShOABdXuPCw/UE-63_oxHGI/AAAAAAAAAs8/Bw1jN1qlEpc/s320/iPhone+021.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basil Mint Coffee</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tG7FwMuICGE/UE-640sPZfI/AAAAAAAAAtE/ON6MFZejSyY/s1600/iPhone+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tG7FwMuICGE/UE-640sPZfI/AAAAAAAAAtE/ON6MFZejSyY/s320/iPhone+022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Chicken & Waffles</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGvttpXWn64/UE-65ipbJdI/AAAAAAAAAtM/LnPYzLO3T-I/s1600/iPhone+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGvttpXWn64/UE-65ipbJdI/AAAAAAAAAtM/LnPYzLO3T-I/s320/iPhone+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gourmet Breakfast Burger</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The basil mint iced coffee was delicious and consumed quickly. I rarely drink the stuff, so this should prove how great a cup it was! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My chicken was surprisingly not fried, and the skin texture was a bit odd for my tastes. The dish was accompanied by a lot of fresh vegetables (leeks, carrots, corn) which made it much more conducive to a late lunch or dinner dish. I enjoyed it, but this version of chicken and waffles is probably suited for another time of day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ms. CCT's breakfast burger was a bit unwieldy, but the fresh English muffin and ground beef were incredible. In retrospect, I should have probably ordered it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Though the coffee came right out, we waited....and waited...and waited for our entrees without notification from the staff. When we pulled our waitress aside, she said that the dishes were "being plated as we speak." After fifteen minutes or so, we grabbed her again, and she said they would be out promptly. We still had to wait a few minutes before they were ultimately delivered to our table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is not the first customer service "hiccup" we have had at Woodberry Kitchen. A while back for my birthday, we booked a 7:30 p.m. dinner reservation but were seated almost a half hour later. The staff was very apologetic and even offered us complimentary flutes of champagne, a nice touch indeed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today, the staff was equally as accommodating and gave us two glasses of fresh orange juice along with mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. We even had a manager personally apologize to us at the table. We weren't that bothered by the whole situation, just incredibly famished! Luckily Woodberry knows how to put out these small little fires quickly and engender good feelings moving forward.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IwI39E3E1Y/UE-66vv5ECI/AAAAAAAAAtY/I5BUFx4-c8o/s1600/iPhone+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3IwI39E3E1Y/UE-66vv5ECI/AAAAAAAAAtY/I5BUFx4-c8o/s320/iPhone+024.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh Orange Juice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QHn3oC__wc/UE-67iyzQKI/AAAAAAAAAtg/N_EIpTTgtoM/s1600/iPhone+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_QHn3oC__wc/UE-67iyzQKI/AAAAAAAAAtg/N_EIpTTgtoM/s320/iPhone+025.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After our meal, we decided to take a peek at the outdoor patio area. The weather was perfect, so it was understandably crowded. Next time we visit for brunch, we will most likely migrate from our preferred spot on the second floor to the outdoor garden.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u6j8skJw2Ws/UE-68Tp10XI/AAAAAAAAAto/GGs5TzKVUqs/s1600/iPhone+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u6j8skJw2Ws/UE-68Tp10XI/AAAAAAAAAto/GGs5TzKVUqs/s320/iPhone+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice Outdoor Seating Area</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Overall, Woodberry's consistency is what sets it apart from other spots in Baltimore. They are constantly tweaking and tinkering with their menu, and the changes are always inventive and delicious. When service issues arise, they are dealt with quite effectively. There really isn't more you can ask for in a restaurant. I hope to review the other two restaurants on my <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/09/top-3-restaurants-in-baltimore.html" target="_blank">Top 3 list</a> in the coming months, but hopefully this post gets your taste buds in high gear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-11628307897611015552012-09-16T11:11:00.000-04:002012-09-16T11:11:13.454-04:00Delta Removes Itself from Award Wallet, We Suffer<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I just got done slamming Delta <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/why-delta-skymiles-are-so-frustrating.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/09/sneaky-delta-raises-award-pricing.html" target="_blank">here</a> for there customer-unfriendly policies. I thought the coast was clear and I wouldn't have to write more about them for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, I just received the following email in my inbox:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fkz3N3z2Tfc/UFIeFXz4ZeI/AAAAAAAAAvU/rgh8Os-XHOw/s1600/Delta+Award+Wallet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fkz3N3z2Tfc/UFIeFXz4ZeI/AAAAAAAAAvU/rgh8Os-XHOw/s320/Delta+Award+Wallet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sigh...another day, another decision by <a href="http://www.delta.com/" target="_blank">Delta</a> to drive their customers away. Unfortunately, Delta has decided to remove all of its Skymiles accounts from Award Wallet, a truly awesome site that automatically tracks your frequent flyer accounts (as well as their expiration dates). I wrote in <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/rookie-introduction-to-points-and-miles.html" target="_blank">this post</a> that signing up for <a href="http://awardwallet.com/" target="_blank">Award Wallet</a> was one of the best ways for rookies to get into the travel and miles game. Delta, though, has decided that Award Wallet is holding too much member information and is "invading" Delta's site.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wholeheartedly disagree with this decision by Delta. Even though Award Wallet tracks our frequent flyer balances daily, the ability to carefully monitor my accounts <b>prevents</b> the very fraud and potential for abuse that Delta claims Award Wallet perpetrates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With this change, I am less likely to check my Skymiles balance and less likely to visit Delta's own site. These are the unintended consequences of Delta's strong arm move!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The real losers, though, are people who manage multiple Skymiles accounts. Families are now forced to check each individual account to make sure miles properly post rather than auto-updating using Award Wallet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With Delta now joining American Airlines and Southwest in removing their data from Award Wallet, I become a less of a fan of Delta and less engaged in the Skymiles program. Hopefully Award Wallet can find a workaround for this problem or the two companies can come to an agreement on member data.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For now though, Delta remains in the frequent flyer doghouse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-48796525120590263022012-09-14T09:51:00.000-04:002012-09-14T09:51:48.859-04:00Top 3 Restaurants in Baltimore<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">People love lists! They are the foundation of American Democracy....or something like that. As part of this blog is dedicated to food, I thought I would write my Top 3 Restaurants in Baltimore. Keep in mind, there are some venues such as "Charleston" that I have yet to visit, but I feel pretty confident in my selections. These are my go to spots when I have out of town guests or am celebrating a special occasion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>1. Woodberry Kitchen</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/" target="_blank">Woodberry Kitchen</a> tops the list because I've never had a bad menu item in all the times I've visited. They pride themselves on their consistent, farm fresh, and oftentimes inventive menu, and I can't say I've ever been disappointed. The setting is rustic and unique, especially the row of seats on the second level overlooking the main dining room. The food is just plain good. I can't think of any better way to describe it. Go to Woodberry with the expectation of trying a lot of things (they have a great appetizer/sampler menu), and come home full. That's the way I like it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNEhiMUDAo0/UDUGGX6arGI/AAAAAAAAAfU/WMiZ4ers4e8/s1600/Woodberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNEhiMUDAo0/UDUGGX6arGI/AAAAAAAAAfU/WMiZ4ers4e8/s320/Woodberry.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Setting</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Woodberry also rotates their menu based on the season. We went during the winter when less popular vegetables like squash and zuchini were featured....and it was still great. I can't wait to go back in the spring or summer time. In fact, make sure to check out my upcoming brunch review of Woodberry debuting in the next week or two.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>2. Petit Louis Bistro</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As intimate an experience as it comes, <a href="http://www.petitlouis.com/" target="_blank">Petit Louis</a> delivers authentic French food in a cozy Roland Park setting. When I say intimate experience, though, I mean it. Our meal there had us mere inches away from the party next to us. If you can get past the, ahem, close quarters, you will be knocked away by the selections. Though I still haven't tried it, the Steak Frites is the signature dish of Petit Louis. A close second is the delicious Croque-Monsieur.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXgzc9txzVs/UDk3MLci6gI/AAAAAAAAAgc/u_kgUE28dcQ/s1600/Petit+Louis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SXgzc9txzVs/UDk3MLci6gI/AAAAAAAAAgc/u_kgUE28dcQ/s320/Petit+Louis.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>3. The Black Olive</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Baltimore prides itself on its fresh seafood, and I consider the <a href="http://www.theblackolive.com/" target="_blank">Black Olive</a> the flagbearer as the freshest fish in the Charm City. The restaurant, located on a quiet cobblestoned street in Fells Point, is surprisingly spacious with multiple dining rooms. The highlight of the meal is the "fish tour." Your server will take you to an ice chest that features the freshest catches of the day. They will explain the texture, flavor, oil content, and region of each fish. Though not always in season, I've never had better Rockfish than at Black Olive. It's a must try if you happen to see it during your personalized fish tour.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tSGSb8QMAXs/UDk3PVScX8I/AAAAAAAAAgk/4xPiq6xL_NE/s1600/Black+Olive.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tSGSb8QMAXs/UDk3PVScX8I/AAAAAAAAAgk/4xPiq6xL_NE/s320/Black+Olive.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshest Seafood in Baltimore</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do you guys think? Any disagreements or discrepancies? Let me know. Until tomorrow, everyone. I'm starving!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-33683078552698665422012-09-13T10:08:00.001-04:002012-09-13T10:08:24.579-04:00Sneaky Delta Raises Award Pricing Without Notice<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You really have to hand it to <a href="http://www.delta.com/" target="_blank">Delta Airlines</a>. A week after I <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/why-delta-skymiles-are-so-frustrating.html" target="_blank">wrote a post</a> detailing my many frustrations with booking an award ticket with them, they decide to anger me even more. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Without any notice or warning, Delta <a href="http://dmn.delta.com/skymiles/direct/charts/us49/" target="_blank">increased the pricing</a> on several awards without any notice to the public. Delta prices their awards in "low", "medium", and "high" pricing categories, with the "high" awards costing the most miles. Luckily "low" award pricing is unaffected, but the decision to do this without notice is really rankling the frequent flyer community.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changes Highlighted in Yellow</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To summarize, round trip "Medium" and "High" coach awards are <b>increasing by 5,000 Skymiles</b> from the U.S. to the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, and Europe. That certainly isn't a lot, but it's the spirit of the (lack of) announcement that makes this change so poor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Delta attempted to engender some goodwill by also secretly dropping the price of "High" level business class seats from the U.S. to Southeast Asia from 370,000 Skymiles to 350,000 Skymiles. Unfortunately, that's like offering a 2% discount on a Ferrari. No one I know is crazy enough to cough up that many miles for an award ticket anyways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>UPDATE:</b> I couldn't make this story up. When queried about why the award chart changes were made without an announcement, a Delta spokesperson posted this response on Flyertalk, the frequent flyer community message board:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUqC2rL0fEk/UE-10d2ljzI/AAAAAAAAAro/9Y98VpEYa-8/s1600/Delta+Spokesperson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mUqC2rL0fEk/UE-10d2ljzI/AAAAAAAAAro/9Y98VpEYa-8/s320/Delta+Spokesperson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"It works like a pricing change, so legally, we're not allowed to notify folks in advance."</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If that statement didn't make you roll your eyes, what's it going to take? I can't think of another frequent flyer program that doesn't properly communicate changes, for better or worse, in advance to its members. Even a week's heads up would be better than this!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bottom line, the value of Delta Skymiles is devalued even more than it already was. Awards are expensive, hard to come by, and the precedent of sudden award pricing increases makes them a dangerous currency to hoard.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-28331555614066596782012-09-12T09:07:00.001-04:002012-09-12T09:07:12.499-04:00New York to Hawaii for $482!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm trying to spread the love on great flight deals, but Hawaii just keeps rearing its <strike>ugly</strike> awesomely tropical head. Via <a href="http://www.theflightdeal.com/2012/09/11/afternoon-special-hawaiian-airlines-new-york-honolulu-hawaii-482-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheFlightDeal+%28The+Flight+Deal%29" target="_blank">The Flight Deal</a>, <a href="http://www.hawaiianair.com/?id=z1869547364z" target="_blank">Hawaiian Airlines</a> is offering round trip tickets between New York-JFK and Honolulu for under $500. <b>Travel must be booked by September 18th</b> and travel is valid until December 14th. The ultra discounted flights appear to be only for Monday-Friday flights, but when you are taking a week long vacation, who cares which day you leave and come back?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$512 Is Incredible But We Can Do Better!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I love using the <a href="http://matrix.itasoftware.com/" target="_blank">ITA Software matrix</a> to find the lowest fares online between city pairs, but even this tool isn't properly displaying the great price. Initially, ITA is pricing out the roundtrips at $512. However, by going directly to the <a href="http://www.hawaiianair.com/" target="_blank">Hawaiin Airlines website</a>, you can play around with the calendar and find fares as low as <b>$482</b> including taxes and fees! One of the most appealing parts of this fare (apart from the eye-popping price) is that these flights are non-stop. Instead of connecting twice, which is often the case for flights to Hawaii from the East Coast, you will arrive straight to Oahu. This really helps minimize your travel time and hassles.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow! I Have Never Seen Fares to Hawaii That Low Before</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Those of us in Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. shouldn't dismiss this fare at all. There are lots of connections to both LaGuardia and JFK offered by United, Jet Blue, American, U.S. Airways, and Delta in these cities. Just be careful to leave yourself <b>PLENTY</b> of time between the two flights, as airlines will not rebook you due to weather or other unforeseen circumstance if you are traveling on separate tickets. Heck, even a <a href="http://us.megabus.com/" target="_blank">Mega Bus</a> trip isn't out of the question.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aas6smWfdTw/UE-weIpkWoI/AAAAAAAAAq0/u6cAcngZYbM/s1600/Hawaiian+Airlines+Calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Aas6smWfdTw/UE-weIpkWoI/AAAAAAAAAq0/u6cAcngZYbM/s320/Hawaiian+Airlines+Calendar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Availability in October, Solid in November/December</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The bottom line is that you should act fast on this. Tickets will be snatched up quickly, I'm sure. Keep in mind that Hawaiian allows a <a href="http://www.hawaiianair.com/aboutus/customer-service-commitment/" target="_blank">24-hour fee-free cancellation</a> for any reasons, so speculative bookings (before you check with your significant other or friends) are highly encouraged. Happy bookings, everyone! Until tomorrow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-27590448532061580612012-09-11T10:04:00.001-04:002012-09-19T10:52:30.231-04:00More Great Travel Articles<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few more travel articles for you to peruse today. The first is from <a href="http://www.elliott.org/" target="_blank">Chris Elliot</a>, noted travel blogger and consumer advocate. I don't always agree with Chris (for instance, he has gone on record saying that airline/hotel loyalty programs are bad propositions for consumers), but he does put some pretty good content out there. The article, titled the 5 Things You Should Never Say to a TSA Screener, is more tongue-in-cheek than anything else. Basically, Chris's point is that TSA Agents shouldn't be berated when things go south (such as when you are selected for additional screening measures) otherwise your situation will probably get much worse in a hurry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The second article, from <a href="http://www.condenast.com/" target="_blank">Conde Nast</a>, offers some very helpful advice. The article explains how to deal with airlines when you absolutely have to be somewhere due to a death in the family, critical connecting flight, or poor weather on the horizon. I can't agree with the article's author, <a href="http://crankyflier.com/" target="_blank">Brett Snyder</a>, enough. Take his tip "Don't Waste Time" to the bank. During a particularly bad blizzard in Baltimore three years ago, I observed people huffing and puffing at airline customer service agents who were powerless to help them. They should instead have been on the phone with the carrier or furiously researching alternate flights. Screaming at the nearest person wearing a uniform is just wasted breath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The final article I chose more for the pictures and the inspiration. From <a href="http://www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/index.html" target="_blank">CNN Travel</a>, they highlight ten of the best airport lounges in the world. Many lounges around the U.S. are basic in nature, featuring slightly more comfortable seating than the terminal along with some light snacks. However, there are truly some that stand-out, including the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in JFK. I'm looking forward to trying some of these out on future international trips, including the Concorde Room in London-Heathrow and the Qatar Airways spa room in Doha. To access most of these lounges, you usually have to be traveling on an international first or business class ticket. Luckily, they don't distinguish if you are using miles! If I do get to try any of these lounges out, you can be certain I will review it for the site.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-im7ipfE79c8/UEVaBUxx3tI/AAAAAAAAAjM/7RkwuUN9QLs/s1600/Clubhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-im7ipfE79c8/UEVaBUxx3tI/AAAAAAAAAjM/7RkwuUN9QLs/s320/Clubhouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a Fancy Way to Relax Before Taking Off</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy reading, everyone! Until tomorrow!</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.elliott.org/blog/5-things-you-should-never-say-to-a-tsa-screener/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+elliottorg+%28Elliott%29" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Chris Elliot: 5 Things You Should Never Say to a TSA Screener</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2012/08/airline-customer-service-problems" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Conde Nast Traveler: How to Navigate Airline Customer Service in Difficult Situations</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/17/travel/worlds-top-airport-lounges/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_travel+%28RSS%3A+Travel%29" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">CNN Travel: 10 of the World's Top Airport Lounges</a></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-51812122085092016722012-09-10T09:49:00.000-04:002012-09-10T12:10:27.964-04:00Two Solid Mileage Offers: British Airways and Alaska Airlines<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I thought I would share two solid points offers today. <a href="https://www.americanexpress.com/" target="_blank">American Express</a> is offering a 40% bonus on all <a href="http://www.membershiprewards.com/" target="_blank">Membership Rewards points</a> transferred to <a href="http://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_us" target="_blank">British Airways</a>. This offer expires on September 27th. Membership Rewards points are fantastic due to their flexibility and lucrative transfer bonus promotions such as this one. Transfers are usually instantaneous, so you can search for an award ticket and then transfer the points into your British Airways account. I took advantage of a similar bonus promotion last year and am actively looking for a great European trip using the British Airways miles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNH-NCKFOm8/UEY_5oRhWmI/AAAAAAAAAo4/RSfKCVueCuk/s1600/British+Airways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNH-NCKFOm8/UEY_5oRhWmI/AAAAAAAAAo4/RSfKCVueCuk/s320/British+Airways.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take Advantage of Membership Rewards Promotions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Though Membership Rewards lost some important transfer partners in the last year (including Continental/United and Southwest Airlines), they still have some great partners such as Delta Airlines, All Nippon Airways, and British Airways. Membership Rewards points are most valuable when transferred to airline miles, so avoid turning them in for a toaster or television (where you receive less than one cent/point in value).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Another bonus promotion to kick the tires on comes from <a href="http://www.alaskaair.com/" target="_blank">Alaska Airlines</a>. They are offering an escalating bonus on purchased miles, depending on how many you buy. Purchasing between 30,000-40,000 miles yields a 40% bonus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2t0LTIFUE9s/UEZC4yrZ_mI/AAAAAAAAApc/ANv0GblkqgE/s320/Alaska+Airlines.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alaska Airlines Certainly Has Quite A Few Partner Airlines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Alaska miles are some of the most valuable out there. They have a GREAT route network to Hawaii via the West Coast, and they also partner with Delta, American Airlines, and Cathay Pacific Airlines, among others. If you don't believe how versatile their miles can be, check out their <a href="http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/partners/partner-overview.aspx" target="_blank">partners</a> as well as their <a href="http://www.alaskaair.com/content/mileage-plan/using-miles/award-chart-asia.aspx" target="_blank">partner award chart</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With that being said, you should probably only take advantage of this offer if you have a specific award goal in mind. Buying miles from an airline or hotel outright, even with a special promotion, is usually an unfavorable proposition. If you have that dream trip in mind or need to top your account off to get to higher award level, then buying miles absolutely makes sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keep those <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">emails coming</a>, everyone. Until tomorrow!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-86869636093230128522012-09-09T11:31:00.000-04:002012-09-09T11:31:13.739-04:00The Mysterious World of Airline Revenue Management<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my biggest passions is learning about how airlines price their tickets. There are so many routes, options and an ever changing set of factors like weather, holidays, competitor airlines, and special events to consider. It seems like the most daunting and exhilarating job on the planet. Below is a video produced by <a href="http://www.aa.com/homePage.do" target="_blank">American Airlines</a> explaining the process and how the American revenue management team works to maximize their profits while also keeping prices affordable for travelers. Although a bit "dumbed down," I still think it's a helpful take on the whole process. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/GC7NhSShG84?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-28039778222064581322012-09-07T10:35:00.002-04:002012-09-07T10:35:41.593-04:00Hotel Elite Status & Other Benefits For $59<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wrote about this offer <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/hotel-status-for-cheap.html" target="_blank">back in early August</a>, but it unfortunately sold out quickly. <a href="http://milepoint.com/forums/" target="_blank">Milepoint</a>, a frequent flyer community message board, is again offering premium memberships to their site for <b>only $59</b>. Premium memberships come with a host of benefits, including <a href="http://www.hyatt.com/gp/en/benefits/membership_platinum.jsp" target="_blank">Hyatt Platinum Elite status</a>. Platinum status comes with many great perks, including bonus points, free internet, late check-out, and preferred rooms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You also obtain the ability to status match to another hotel chain of your choice. Most programs, including Hilton among others, allow you to show proof of your status and be matched to a comparable elite level with their program. They do this in an attempt to woo heavy spenders and frequent travelers into their hotels. Luckily, they won't have any idea how you obtained your Hyatt status!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN-Grs2y034/UEaezQ1DGmI/AAAAAAAAAqA/CzqAdJX79pE/s1600/Milepoint+Premium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN-Grs2y034/UEaezQ1DGmI/AAAAAAAAAqA/CzqAdJX79pE/s320/Milepoint+Premium.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a Few of the Great Perks of Milepoint Premium Membership</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hyatt Platinum status alone is worth $59 by itself, but there are tons of other goodies that come with Milepoint Premium memberships. 2,000 United miles, a free gogo Internet pass, and discounts on several great travel tools are just a few extras that come in this package.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I didn't hesitate to pull the trigger on this, and you shouldn't either if you have travel plans in the next year. There are just too many great things included.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have questions on the benefits or Milepoint in general, don't hesitate to <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">email me</a> or leave a comment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-64248048438644464022012-09-06T14:26:00.000-04:002012-09-06T15:48:17.382-04:00How to Write a Complaint Letter to an Airline<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My father recently returned from a rather poor trip flying <a href="http://www.delta.com/" target="_blank">Delta Airlines</a>. He purchased an upgraded "Economy Comfort" seat, but the seat was located right next to the hatch opening for the emergency exit door, making his leg room non-existent. It's bad enough that he had an uncomfortable flight, but he paid extra for the privilege to do so! I helped him construct a letter to Delta, and he eventually was satisfied with the result. However, not everyone has crafted a complaint letter before. If you think that the airline (or hotel) needs to know about poor service, take these tips into mind:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><u><b>1. Be Polite</b></u>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't curse or use words like "idiot" in your letter. Be calm and composed. It might be best to wait a day before sitting down and putting pen to paper. That can help your frayed nerves settle down a bit after an annoying flight experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>2. Note To The Facts</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Always use flight numbers, employee names, seat locations, frequent flyer number, and anything else that can help legitimize your letter. By creating a paper trail of sorts, your letter will have more gravity and can easily tracked by the company. This is critical! The more vague you are, the less likely you will receive the generous settlement you're seeking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>3. Avoid Exaggerating</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have actually read a few complaint letters in a previous job, and some were guilty of some excessive hyperbole. If you waited on the plane for two hours, state that exactly. Scribbling something like "I waited for what seemed a lifetime. Hours and hours passed," then that's being a bit disingenuous, don't you think? No need to pen a Charles Dickens novel. If the experience went that poorly, your calm rational letter should help that sentiment shine through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>4. Lay Out Expectations for Compensation</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">State exactly what you are looking for after your negative experience. I told my father to ask for a refund on the Economy comfort upgrade fee (about $29) and some additional Skymiles. After a few emails back and forth, he was awarded 3,000 Skymiles. That's certainly not a lot, but it's better than nothing!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUc-UBZYQBg/UEVrcdrTQ4I/AAAAAAAAAks/gbyOXpeLPcw/s1600/Delta+Seat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QUc-UBZYQBg/UEVrcdrTQ4I/AAAAAAAAAks/gbyOXpeLPcw/s320/Delta+Seat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Dad's Seat Didn't Look Anything Like This</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><u>5. Twitter Is Your Best Friend</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the social media craze explodes, airlines are scrambling to appear more "customer friendly" by setting up Twitter accounts to assist passengers. Luckily, this is a huge benefit to slightly passengers. Delta owns one of the more proactive Twitter accounts (<a href="https://twitter.com/DeltaAssist" target="_blank">@DeltaAssist</a>) that can quickly respond to your issues. During poor weather or when front line agents aren't being helpful, Twitter is surprisingly one of the best ways to go. Other airlines, especially <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericanAir" target="_blank">American Airlines</a>, have great teams in place to assist passengers via social media as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ylx4jbeOxe0/UEVuLpX65SI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GU3XrocsFkU/s1600/Delta+Assist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ylx4jbeOxe0/UEVuLpX65SI/AAAAAAAAAlM/GU3XrocsFkU/s320/Delta+Assist.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Great Way To Get Your Issues Dealt With Quickly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If any of you have had a bad experience with an airline, please <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">shoot me an email</a>. I want to know whether your issues were settled in a timely fashion or whether you found it difficult to get the matter resolved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until tomorrow, everyone!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Charm City Traveler </span></b>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-37027771011427498422012-09-05T13:19:00.001-04:002012-09-05T13:19:51.099-04:00Reader Mailbag- Cashback or Travel Rewards Card?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me begin this post by saying I really appreciate all of your emails, so please keep them coming!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Reader Eric writes,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I'm really intrigued by the travel credit cards. I picked up an American Express Blue Card a while back that provided good cash rewards, but I have no idea if it's still a good rewards system. Should I stick with this card or apply for something else? Do travel rewards cards typically get better or worse value compared to cash rewards cards?"</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although only a short paragraph, Eric asks a very meaty question. This is not the first time I've received this question, but lets analyze this situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The best all around cash back rewards card is the <a href="https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/american-express-cards" target="_blank">Fidelity Investment Rewards American Express</a>. This card earns a <b>FLAT 2%</b> cash back on all purchases. Though the money is automatically deposited into a Fidelity Investment account, you can easily withdraw the money and transfer it to your checking account. Most other cashback cards only offer 1-1.5%, so Fidelity really knocks it out of the park.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47y4kZ6s7hY/UEVfNh8DKPI/AAAAAAAAAjs/uGTcAKkiiZ4/s1600/Fidelity+AMEX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47y4kZ6s7hY/UEVfNh8DKPI/AAAAAAAAAjs/uGTcAKkiiZ4/s320/Fidelity+AMEX.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Best Cash Back Card Out There</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Will reader Eric get more value out of this card or a travel rewards card? The answer? It depends on his travel habits and his value of the cash back from Fidelity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If Eric enjoys staying at hotels <b>normally out of his budget</b> or flying business/first class, a travel card makes much more sense. He can easily get more than 2% return on his miles/points if he is striving for truly aspirational vacations. I suggest he stick with a travel rewards card such as the <a href="http://www304.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Starwood-Preferred" target="_blank">Starwood American Express</a>, which I talked about <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/the-best-all-around-credit-card-for.html" target="_blank">in this post</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If Eric is more comfortable traveling domestically in economy class and staying at mid-range or extended stay hotels and values the accessibility/flexibility of cash, he might want to stick with Fidelity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, what many neglect in this equation is the <b>lucrative sign-up bonus</b> offered by most travel credit cards. <a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/credit-cards/sapphire-preferred-card.aspx" target="_blank">The Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Card</a>, another fantastic travel rewards card, comes with a 40,000 point sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months of card membership. 40,000 points can be used to book $500 in travel or converted into $400 in gift cards at many popular stores (Best Buy, Home Depot, etc.).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NT5A7ifgN9s/UEVibaSxsaI/AAAAAAAAAkM/8LOTlQSZoBM/s1600/Chase.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NT5A7ifgN9s/UEVibaSxsaI/AAAAAAAAAkM/8LOTlQSZoBM/s320/Chase.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Better Overall Deal Than Fidelity</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sign-up bonus for the Fidelity Cash Back card? A whopping <b>$0</b>. You would need to spend $20,000 on purchases to earn the $400 you receive from Chase's sign-up bonus. Talk about an easy decision. No one I know can spend that amount in a calendar year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If your life has you grounded from travel for the foreseeable future, there probably isn't a better feeling than the consistent cashback from Fidelity. Otherwise, I highly suggest sticking with a travel rewards card. A travel rewards card will get you vacation opportunities normally out of budget and the typical fantastic sign-up bonus will outweigh the flexibility of cash back. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make sense? Any questions? Don't hesitate to <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">drop me an email</a> or leave a comment. Until tomorrow, travel-philes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-8914946001604840862012-09-04T18:09:00.000-04:002012-09-04T18:11:14.117-04:00Two Great Travel Deals: Moscow or Istanbul for Under $600!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the typically heavy summer travel season coming to a close, many airlines are going all out to lure passengers into fall and winter trips. Via <a href="http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/" target="_blank">Lufthansa Flyer</a>, Lufthansa is offering round trip tickets from New York to Moscow for <b>$599</b>. This fare is typically $700-$1000 (or more), so this price represents some incredible savings. For more details on the promotion, check out <a href="http://boardingarea.com/blogs/lufthansaflyer/2012/08/30/lufthansa-fare-sale-new-york-to-moscow-for-599/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LufthansaFlyer+%28Lufthansa+Flyer%29" target="_blank">Lufthansa Flyer's post</a>. Travel must be purchased by September 6th and depart for Russia no later than October 31st.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q_SVsv63YgI/UEV2jjANqhI/AAAAAAAAAl0/ZfGaY3XAPQg/s1600/Moscow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q_SVsv63YgI/UEV2jjANqhI/AAAAAAAAAl0/ZfGaY3XAPQg/s320/Moscow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moscow In The Fall?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Via The Flight Deal, <a href="http://www.aircanada.com/en/home.html" target="_blank">Air Canada</a> is offering flights from Chicago to Istanbul, Turkey for <b>$553</b> including taxes. Restrictions seem to be much more relaxed for this fare, and it appears to also be good from Washington D.C. for <b>$575</b>. For full booking details, make sure to visit <a href="http://www.theflightdeal.com/2012/08/25/air-canada-chicago-istanbul-turkey-553-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/" target="_blank">The Flight Deal's post</a>. Istanbul is a place that I've always wanted to go, mixing both great aspects of Europe and Asia....all located on the Bosphorus. October and November seem like relatively temperate months, so this could be a perfect time for a jaunt to Turkey!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TDazUD52DUk/UEV2ibxsiKI/AAAAAAAAAls/LRbsblT5WIU/s1600/Istanbul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TDazUD52DUk/UEV2ibxsiKI/AAAAAAAAAls/LRbsblT5WIU/s1600/Istanbul.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reaching Turkey Is Pretty Affordable at Less Than $600</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you have the flexibility and a valid passport, both of these fares are hard to beat. <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">Shoot me an email</a> if you see any other deals coming down the line. I always have my ears open for great fares.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy travels, everyone!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-43574330527962626622012-09-03T20:38:00.000-04:002012-09-04T19:55:15.513-04:00Restaurant Review-"Sobo Cafe"<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Located on constantly bustling Cross Street in <a href="http://baltimore.org/baltimore-neighborhoods/federal-hill/" target="_blank">Federal Hill</a>, <a href="http://sobocafe.net/" target="_blank">Sobo Cafe</a> feels far removed from the the host of bars that line the market area.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although it's located extremely close to us, we rarely give Sobo a try. I'm really not quite sure why. Perhaps it's the proximity that makes it feel like "too safe" a choice. We like venturing out and exploring new restaurants, so there is some mild guilt involved in choosing Sobo.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newly Revitalized Sobo Cafe</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because of a fierce thunderstorm and a desire to remain (relatively) dry, Sobo turned into the default choice for our party on Saturday night. I also wanted to give it another go around after hearing good things about the new ownership and menu. A woman by the name of Anna Leventis <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/blog/real-estate/2011/11/sobo-cafe-sold-to-first-time.html" target="_blank">purchased the property back in November</a> of last year and decided Sobo badly needed a facelift. New paint and <a href="http://www.baltimoremagazine.net/food-and-dining/2012/05/a-new-beginning" target="_blank">inventive menu items</a> really impressed us when we arrived. Sobo, similar to Metropolitan (you can read my review <a href="http://www.charmcitytraveler.com/2012/08/restaurant-review-metropolitan-coffee.html" target="_blank">here</a>), has a very comfortable and cozy vibe. After our meal on Saturday night, we are sure to go back a lot more.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inviting Exterior</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We settled in to our seats and immediately ordered a Malbec red wine. The server's selection was absolutely fantastic. It was probably one of the top ten bottles I've ever had, and the whole table enjoyed it. I snapped a picture, so I can hopefully track down a case for personal use.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-367f2DBvt_A/UCxXDrKwMHI/AAAAAAAAAVM/PLpYBqZd9h4/s1600/P8120084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-367f2DBvt_A/UCxXDrKwMHI/AAAAAAAAAVM/PLpYBqZd9h4/s320/P8120084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michel Torino Malbec-Fantastic Choice</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="http://sobocafe.net/images/SoBo_Cafe%20Dinner.pdf" target="_blank">appetizer menu</a> had a few good choices, but we settled on the tomato and mozzarella flatbread with pesto sauce. It was filling enough for three of us, and the crispy outer crust was a real hit. The rest of the table ordered Caesar salads which were fresh, though I will spare you the pictures.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato and Mozzarella Flatbread</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I've mentioned before, multiple people ordering the same entree really bothers me (in a playful way). It severely cuts down on the potential sharing our table can accomplish. Nevertheless, I ordered the spicy seafood stew, while the rest of the table went with lamb meatloaf, seared mahi, and the house mac-n-cheese.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sobo Cafe Dinner Menu</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The seafood stew was a perfect light meal. It was served with a large piece of organic grain bread for dipping. Featuring fresh mussels and large, tasty shrimp, it was served in a light tomato broth. I wasn't that hungry, so this seemed to be the perfect choice. It was also raining pretty hard outside, so the spicy stew seemed more than appropriate.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spicy Seafood Strew</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My party really enjoyed the mahi mahi, another fresh piece of fish that is often difficult to come by. The mac-n-cheese, a staple of Sobo Cafe since its inception, featured the crispy crust that I know you all enjoy along with creamy large penne noodles inside. Comfort food at it's finest.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5CI2IkbhA4/UCxhJ80JtDI/AAAAAAAAAXo/IpERU90XXpA/s1600/P8120097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o5CI2IkbhA4/UCxhJ80JtDI/AAAAAAAAAXo/IpERU90XXpA/s320/P8120097.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sinful Mac N' Cheese</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will note that no one at our table went with the house pot pie. One of the few holdovers from the "old regime" at Sobo, it's truly the house speciality. The first two times I visited <a href="http://sobocafe.net/" target="_blank">Sobo Cafe</a>, I went with the pot pie and was knocked out of the park. For the sake of delivering some new foods to my readers, our party mixed up the selections. I have to say that if they make mac-n-cheese like that, the pot pie must be even better. We will certainly be repeat customers in the very near future.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sobo Cafe: Quickly Turning Into A Top Federal Hill Dining Choice</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't overlook <a href="http://sobocafe.net/" target="_blank">Sobo Cafe</a> even though it appears to be hiding on Cross Street. The new ownership clearly is taking the menu seriously and it shows. The atmosphere has always been warm and inviting, but the decor is emphasized more than ever now. This is a perfect spot to bring a date or just have a quiet dinner with loved ones. A surprising top choice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me know if you guys have any strong feelings about Sobo. Drop a comment or shoot me an <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">email</a>. Until tomorrow!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-84274138680104336662012-09-02T13:33:00.000-04:002012-09-19T11:09:31.331-04:00Photo of the Day #1<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just a brief post today. I thought I would share one of my favorite views in Baltimore from atop Federal Hill. We love walking up here and just unwinding after a long day. The scenic downtown really can't be beat on a mild summer night.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYXJG4BNmFM/UChs0yZTkMI/AAAAAAAAAPw/wFkzsGjtZtQ/s1600/Federal+Hill+Skyline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYXJG4BNmFM/UChs0yZTkMI/AAAAAAAAAPw/wFkzsGjtZtQ/s320/Federal+Hill+Skyline.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Downtown Baltimore/Inner Harbor from Federal Hill</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you think you have a great photo that you would like to share on this blog, shoot me an <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">email</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> or leave me a comment below. I would like to begin featuring some of </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">YOUR</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> favorite travel photos, so this is your chance to channel your inner Ansel Adams.....or whatever professional photographer floats your boat. Beaches, mountains, urban environments, or just your favorite locales, send me your pictures!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5222910881819212385.post-30662437085412237612012-09-01T13:38:00.002-04:002012-09-01T13:38:36.265-04:00Should I Go For The Gold?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As we breeze past the year's midpoint, it's time to evaluate air and hotel strategies for the rest of the year. With so many friends and family in Atlanta, I achieved elite status with <a href="http://www.delta.com/" target="_blank">Delta</a> four years ago and haven't looked back. I enjoyed the perks and upgrades so much that I worked my tail off (zany details in a future post) to make it to Platinum Elite Status, the second highest level behind the top tier Diamond Elites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have immensely enjoyed being a <a href="https://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_skymiles/benefits_at_glance/index.jsp" target="_blank">Platinum elite</a>. Perks include complimentary first class upgrades on 95% of my flights (missing one upgrade because of a late first class ticket purchase by Jimmy Carter and his Secret Service detail), free checked bags, priority boarding, complimentary <a href="http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/economy_class/economy_comfort.jsp" target="_blank">Economy Comfort seats</a> on international flights, priority access at security checkpoints, bonus miles on every flight and several other crucial benefits.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaavUmkCK2c/UEJHMHT64GI/AAAAAAAAAis/Mccmk6Z1vP4/s1600/Delta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JaavUmkCK2c/UEJHMHT64GI/AAAAAAAAAis/Mccmk6Z1vP4/s320/Delta.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on Silver, Gold is a looong way off</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sadly, my travel has waned each year since becoming Platinum. I slid back to Gold last year, and am in danger of losing status with Delta altogether after this year! The problem is, I'm not certain it's worth the climb back up the mountain. First class upgrades have been truly fantastic, but I flew sparingly this year. I can get priority boarding, free checked bags, and a boat load of Skymiles with a simple <a href="http://www304.americanexpress.com/getthecard/learn-about/Gold-Delta-Skymiles" target="_blank">Delta American Express credit card application</a>. What do I do?? It's difficult to forecast next year's travel plans. It will even more difficult learning how to fly without the perks that I've become accustomed to.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0B4Tsu4wR4/UCbkijVJ0zI/AAAAAAAAAJk/JE3VH2YPoUY/s1600/Economy+Comfort.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0B4Tsu4wR4/UCbkijVJ0zI/AAAAAAAAAJk/JE3VH2YPoUY/s320/Economy+Comfort.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Economy Comfort: Free for Gold/Platinum/Diamond Elites</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What would you do in my case? Any status that you guys are dreading losing? Drop me a line <a href="mailto:charmcitytraveler@gmail.com" target="_blank">via email</a> or leave a comment below.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>-Charm City Traveler</b></span>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06160688000376359644noreply@blogger.com1