Pack it up for Montreal

Photo via A Cup of Joe

Time for another weekend getaway! I'm off to Montreal on assignment for Examiner.com. The best part? I'll be driving up from NYC (I love a good autumn road trip), and the hubs gets to come along on this one (road trips are much more fun when you have someone to share 'em with). Pics and reports to come!

P.S. Thanks to the fab packing tips over at onebag.com, I've managed to keep my load slightly (if only slightly) lighter than noted in the pic above.

Weekend Inspiration: Fall Color

Stowe, Vermont [Photo via pdbren/flickr]

Fall's here! Isn't this the most idyllic autumn scene? Just a picture perfect day in Vermont. Happy weekend!

China Once Again Bans Visits to Tibet

Training exercises in Beijing for Oct. 1st National Day parade [photo by gadgetdan/flickr]

Just days ahead of the 60 year anniversary of communist rule in China, the country has closed Tibet to foreigners and deployed soldiers armed with machine guns into the streets of Beijing. Even kite flying has been banned "as a precaution against aerial hazards" according to the Associated Press. The AP is also reporting the Chinese government has also expanded blocks on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, and there has been a marked increase in e-mail spam to foreign journalists that contains spyware.

Prayer flags in Tibet [Photo by Jan-Christian Teller/flickr]

The is not the first sensitive occasion China has closed Tibet to foreign tourists. In March of this year, Beijing banned foreign entry during the 50th anniversary of the failed Tibetan uprising against China that caused the Dalai Lama to go into exile. According to the AFP, state media reports say the strict security controls and travel bans have obliterated Tibet's tourism industry, with visitor arrivals dropping from 4 million in 2007 to 2.2 million in 2008.

Tweet! Only 5 Travel Brands Offer Exclusive Deals on Twitter

Tweet! Tweet! We all know Twitter has become a huge platform for travel companies who want to market their sweet deals. But with so many people logging into the Twitter universe, how do you know who's really going to give you something you can use and who's just adding to the Twitter "noise"? Dealbase.com recently conducted a survey to pinpoint the travel brands that tweet the best offers. According to the survey, only a few brands actually post exclusive offers on their Twitter feeds. Here are the winners:

Kimpton (@Kimpton)

Omni Hotels (@OmniHotels)

Joie de Vivre (@JDVHotels)

JetBlue (@JetBlue)

United Airlines (@UnitedAirlines)

Check out the rest of the survey results here.

Weeekend Inspiration: Norway's Valley of the Glaciers

Oldedalen valley, Stryn, Norway [Photo by Mr. Jacobsen/flickr]

Happy Weekend!

Montreal Market Moment

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Montréal-based foodie and blogger Katerine Rollet while she completed a whirlwind tour of NYC. (Judging from her recent blog post, I don't think she was very impressed with our Big Apple bagels and smoked meats. She did, however, seem quite pleased with the ceviche at Dos Caminos, where we had lunch.) The lovely Ms. Rollet was kind enough to bring along some yummy maple candy from her home city and, even better, she agreed to be my guide when I head to Montréal in October to explore the nightlife, culture and culinary offerings. Watching her video on the Jean-Talon Market is making me giddy with excitement.

Unusual Hotels: Find 'em Here

Okay, okay; I've been a bad blogger...again. Smack me on the wrist and give me my punishment. There's really no excuse for my behavior, apart from the fact it's been a busy summer and I've been gearing up for an autumn onslaught of bigger, better blogging. That said, here we go...

Ice Hotel, Jukkasjarvi, Sweden Photo via UnusualHotelsOfTheWorld.com

Your travel dollars are hard-earned these days. When you do decide to spend the cash and hit the road, you don't want to stay in just any old hotel. You want something different. You want something exciting. You want something underwater, in a cave or carved out of ice. What? Thanks to unusualhotelsoftheworld.com, it won't be such a tall order to find just the place to suit your atypical standards. The site contains tons of information on a bevy of unconventional shelters in all corners of the globe. It's easily searchable, infinitely interesting, and some of the photos are downright amazing. Happy hunting!

Weeekend Inspiration: Life on the Caldera

Santorini, Greece [Photo by Wolfgang Staudt/flickr]

Greece Anyone? Happy Weekend!

Flying the Pet-Friendly Skies

Photo via PetAirways.com

If your furry bundle of joy is a little too large to accompany you on an airplane, and you just can’t bear to make him ride in the cargo hold, Pet Airways may be the perfect solution for you. The brand new all pet airline just started flying last week, and currently serves several airports in the New York area, along with the Washington DC/Baltimore area, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.

Ticket prices start at $149 each way, and pets fly in style in the air-conditioned main cabin of a turbo-prop aircraft, constantly monitored by a trained pet attendant. Rumor has it snacks get handed out every 15 minutes or so. Sounds like Pet Airways customers have it better than most frequent flyers of the two-legged variety.

For more pet travel tips, check out my recent article over at examiner.com.

Weekend Inspiration: Underwater World

Hawaiian Sea Turtle [Photo by Jurvetson/flickr]

When I go to a tropical destination, I always try to at least do a little snorkeling to check out what's going on underneath the surface. Sea turtles are some of my favorite sightings. I just love this pic. He looks so happy and relaxed. Then again, he's in Hawaii. How could he not be? Happy Weekend!!