A Travel Blog from the Editors of T+L
Posts by
Charlotte Savino
With most of the country experiencing near Arctic temps right now, Miami—a lone warm-weather destination on the eastern seaboard—is looking pretty good. And there's another reason to go: travel discounts!
Miami Beach tourism is offering a slim and subtle bar-coded card for discounts as big as 20% at the area's top shops, restaurants, museums, hotels, and more. The card comes in two colors: platinum for tourists, and black for residents.
Resolving to lose weight in 2010? Don’t let your drinking habit get in the way!
The Liberty Hotel in Boston is hosting informative (and delicious) “Finally Fridays,” serving up “Sleek Cocktails” with 150 calories or fewer.
Have someone on your list that never gets out of bed? Give the Heavenly Travel Blanket from Westin Hotels! They can literally take the bed with them. Plus, the blanket tucks into a nifty compact travel pillow.
Tis the season for toys and presents, but what about getting your 2010 travel calendar in line? These three contests might make for one heck of a New Year.
Ultimate Fiji Adventurer
Now – January 1st
Make your New Year’s resolution to be more adventurous. Tourism Fiji has launched a video contest to give away a pair of roundtrip tickets
to Fiji on Air Pacific (from Los Angeles) and seven nights—with
meals—at Sonaisali Island Resort. Contestants must submit a 2-3 minute video explaining why they are an Ultimate Fiji Adventurer at www.fijime.tv/videocontest.
After entries close on January 1st, it’s up to the public to vote on
their favorite submission. We could not confirm at publilcation time,
but contestants shoudle expect to pay taxes and fees.
I recently became engaged and while doing some non-work-related research on the matter, I stumbled upon something unusual/sweet/kind of cringe-worthy: Disney Wedding Rings.
Couture designer Kirstie Kelly unveiled her “Kirstie Kelly for Disney by Mouawad” collection of engagement rings for the 2009 Bridal Week in New York City. The six rings are inspired by six Disney princesses from a princess-cut Sleeping Beauty ($5,460) to the three-stone Belle design ($4,650).
But wait! There’s more!
Never has a pop icon been so happy to turn 35. Last week on November 1, 2009, the beloved cat turned the big 3-5 (that’s 137 in human years).
To celebrate the Japanese import, Royal/T in L.A.'s Culver City is hosting a free Hello Kitty event entitled Three Apples—a nod to H.K.’s weight, as listed on her official bio—bringing together over 30 artists inspired by the flirtatious feline. A portion of the art’s proceeds will help fund community service projects in Los Angeles.
Excuse my flurry of posts but there has been a huge surge of late-breaking contests that I just had to share. All you need to do is enter:
Larkspur Hotels "I Need a Vacation Because!" Contest (closes Nov. 17)
Facebook fans of the Larkspur Hotels page can enter to win a two-night getaway to one of the Larkspur
Collections’ eight hotels (one winner per hotel) in
California and Oregon. Contestants must post why they need a
vacation in 50 words or less. Entries will be judged on originality,
creativity, humor, and substance, and from what I’ve seen on the Facebook page,
TravelandLeisure.com’s savvy and creative readers have a pretty good
shot. The prize includes $150 voucher for Southwest Airlines and a $100
to the hotel restaurant. Winners do not have to cover taxes or fees.
Visit www.facebook.com/larkspurhotels to enter.
I love golf! More importantly, I love a great golf deal. So it pains me to have to leave some of our best deals by the wayside as booking dates near and expirations loom.
From sunny Mexico to (uh, also sunny?) Florida, I’ve salvaged some deals that didn’t make the newsletter but shouldn’t go unnoticed.
+ Los Cabos: 3-night all-inclusive resort/golf deal for $743
+ Los Cabos: Hotel + unlimited golf for $320/night
+ Los Cabos: Marquis Los Cabos + 4 rounds of golf for $670/night
+ Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida: Hotel + golf + lessons + credit= $170/night
+ St. Augustine, Florida: World Golf Hall of Fame gala event packages from $359
+ Orlando, Florida: Unlimited golf + hotel for $139/night
Charlotte Savino is online listings editor (and resident golfer) at Travel + Leisure.
Starting today, JetBlue will offer flights between New York’s JFK Airport and Grantley Adams International Airport in Bridgetown, Barbados, in the lower Caribbean. To take advantage of the airline's introductory price of $99 each way, you must book before Oct. 8 for travel through December 19th, 2009 (with Thanksgiving blackout dates).
Barbados is the twelfth international destination on JetBlue’s growing route map (flights to Jamaica begin May 21, 2010).
Call it Corn of the Loom. Verterra Sport has unveiled an eco-friendly golf shirt made from corn. Though corn fibers have been used before, this durable and blendable formula the cream of the crop. The shirts come in two varieties: 52% corn available in five classic colors and 88% corn available in green or black.
