An Apple a Day 12.1.10

An apple a day is said to keep the doctor away. While I’m not sure if that’s true, I do know that many of us like to partake in a tasty apple every now and then and also in the many forms of apple-ism, like pie, butter, jelly, cobbler, juice and cider. December 1st is Eat a Red Apple Day, so in honor of that, I have come up with some fun facts about apples and traveling to the regions where you can sample different varieties and enjoy a fun holiday.

Lorikeets Love Apples

Washington State is the largest apple producing state and accounts for 55% of the U.S.'s total apples. Other "apple" states are New England, New York, Michigan, California and Pennsylvania. 

Alaska Airlines is happy to fly you to any of these states (and more!) from only $50 each way with their Hot Deals On Ice sale in honor of their sponsoring of the Apolo Ohno "Zero Regrets" Book Tour.

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Southwest wants to get in on the action, too, and fly you between U.S. destinations with their Winter Travel Sale. Fly each way from only $59 between selected cities (of which there are many). Purchase by December 13 and travel January 4 – March 9. Remember, Southwest still lets you check a bag for free, so if you find you’ve overpacked or just don’t want to drag your carry-on through the airport, you’re covered. I like to use it as a backup solution to my buying too much on my trip and check my regular bag back and take the extra bag I packed as my carry-on.

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Southwest wants to get in on the action, too, and fly you between U.S. destinations with their Winter Travel Sale. Fly each way from only $59 between selected cities (of which there are many). Purchase by December 13 and travel January 4 – March 9. Remember, Southwest still lets you check a bag for free, so if you find you’ve overpacked or just don’t want to drag your carry-on through the airport, you’re covered. I like to use it as a backup solution to my buying too much on my trip and check my regular bag back and take the extra bag I packed as my carry-on.


And AirTran! Book by December 9th and travel through March 16.  Rates start at just $44 each way between select cities. Travel on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for the lowest prices.

Where can you find apple varieties in your travels, besides grocery stores? Check out the local farmers markets. They are likely to have many types of the fruit as well as jam/jellies, sauces and other things made with them for you to sample and take home. The product will usually be fresher than the produce section and you can converse with locals.

• The Cliffs Resort at Pismo Beach is offering over 55% off their rack rate of $259/night. Book by Dec 7 for stays through February 2011 and pay just $89/night! Add just $10 for breakfast for 2. What does Pismo Beach have to offer, you ask? Beautiful coastline, more wineries than you can shake a sick at, golf courses and more. The Cliffs has a Latin-themed restaurant, oceanfront heated pool, complimentary shuttle to/from the airport and train station, 24-hour fitness center, WiFi and spa. Upgrade to a suite for $40 more and be rewarded with even better views of the landscape.

• China is number one in apple production, but they are also the U.S.’s number one source for concentrated apple juice. How would you like to sample some of their many varieties while on a 10-night tour? For just $1499 per person (around $1000 less than similar packages) you will take RT airfare to Beijing, spend 3 nights in the Doubletree Hilton Beijing, 2 nights at the Grand Nobel Xian, 3 nights aboard the Victoria Star for a Yangtze river cruise, 2 nights at the Crown Plaza Shanghai Fudan, receive most of your meals, all airport transfers and intra-China flights and English-speaking tour guides. Must book by December 7 for selected travel dates in February and March.

• India is big on apples, but their stock mostly stays in their own country to feed their large population. Go get your share by taking the Golden Triangle Tour. 6 nights and 7 days takes you on a whirlwind tour of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The tour itself starts at $420 per person, but you can add air as well. You will be staying in 3- and 4-star accommodations, which are recommended by both GEts Holidays employees and TripAdvisor. I love the tour information on this site. It makes it sound like you will be staying in palaces and eating the finest foods off of gold platters. I doubt this is true, but even so, it sounds like an awesome itinerary.

• Visit The Big Apple and taste some apples…or at least have an appletini. If you can get away any time between December 12 and February 28, you can save 40% MAve Hotel NYC in New York. It’s a 5-minute walk to Macy’s and Mario Batali’s new restaurant called Eataly. From $139/night, you can enjoy your complimentary continental breakfast and then hit the shops or walk down the street to the Empire State Building or Madison Square Garden. You really can’t ask for a better location. Think of the money you’ll save on cab/subway fare when everything is within walking distance. Upgrade your room for an extra $60/night and get your 3rd night free! (Your nightly rate would then be even less than the original deal!) Complimentary WiFi, gym access and USA Today also included in your stay. Book by December 7.

• Not really city folk? How about a staying in a 4-star hotel at Niagra Falls instead? Only $106/night at the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre. 3 different packages to choose from including:**Family Skating Package - City view room, skating and skate rental for 2 adults & 2 children, buffet breakfast for 2 adults and 2 children. **Dinner and Movie Package - City view room, $39 dinner voucher and one in-room movie. or **Romance Package - City view room, bottle of Peller red or white wine, cheese and cracker plate for two. [Each package includes one night at the above rate; however, you can purchase multiple nights and pick different packages for each if you want. Book by December 13 for stays through January 2011.]

• Chile is one of America’s apple importers for off-season stocking of apples in our stores. Spend 3 nights in Santiago at the Novotel Santiago Vitacura for $1380 per person, including RT LAN flight through Lima and daily breakfast. The hotel is located in the middle of the city center and close to many tourist spots as well as delicious restaurants, art galleries and public transport. Prices good for travel in January.
• Here’s a big one: 4 nights in Mendoza, Argentina in a modern apartment hotel with continental breakfast and facilities to do all the rest of your cooking, should you choose to do so. Includes your RT airfare on LAN, if you can spare $3,498pp and travel in December, you’ll save 25%.

Not able to travel to any of these places or any of the following top apple-producing countries? Chile, New Zealand,Germany, Italy, Poland, France, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Brazil, Australia or Iran. How about running to the store (or farmers market) and picking up some delicious apples to make this wonderful Apfelstrudel recipe from Germany, courtesy of Epicurian.com! (that’s apple strudel for you Yanks.)

Ingredients:

6 c Apples; Tart, Sliced
1 T Lemon Rind; Grated
2 t Cinnamon
8 oz Fillo Leaves; 1/2 Box,Thawed OR make strudel dough - recipe follows
1 c Bread Crumbs; Finely Crushed
3/4 c Raisins
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 c Almonds; Ground
1 3/4 c Butter;(No Margarine),Melted

Directions:

Mix apples with raisins, lemon rind, sugar, cinnamon, and almonds. Set aside. Place 1 fillo leaf on a kitchen towel and brush with melted butter. Place a second leaf on top and brush with butter again. Repeat until 5 leaves have been used, using about 1/2 c of butter. Cook and stir bread crumbs with 1/4 c of butter until lightly browned. Sprinkle 3/4 cup crumbs on the layered fillo leaves. Mound 1/2 of the filling in a 3-inch strip along the narrow end of the fillo, leaving a 2-inch border. Lift towel, using it to roll leaves over apples, jelly roll fashion. Brush top of the strudel with butter and sprinkle with 2 T crumbs. Repeat the entire procedure for the second strudle. Bake the strudels at 400 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned.
STRUDEL DOUGH
Servings: 12
4 c Flour, (preferably bread flour)
2 t Salt
2 ea Large eggs
2-1/2 c Water
8 T Butter (unsalted), melted
1 t White vinegar or lemon juice

Sift the flour and salt onto a board or into a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Lightly beat the eggs with a fork, then beat in the water and half of the melted butter. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, if desired. Pour the egg mixture into the well in the flour. Stir until all of the flour is incorporated into the egg mixture and the dough is smooth. On a floured board, knead the dough for at LEAST 10 minutes; or until it is smooth, shiny and blistered on the surface. Brush the dough generously with melted butter, place it in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. Cover a large table completely with a floured cloth. Place the dough in the center of the cloth and, working in all directions, roll out the dough as thin as possible. Spread a little melted butter over the dough, and stretch it with your hands--CAREFULLY working all around the table to avoid tearing the dough--until it is very thin and almost transparent. As you stretch, brush the dough with more butter as necessary. Cut off any thick edges, then let the dough rest for about 15 minutes before using it. NOTE: The 2 lbs of dough produced by this recipe can be stretched into a sheet about 6 feet square--enough for two 3-foot strudels. Any excess dough can be restretched. With practice in stretching the dough, you may be able to make a 6-foot square out of 1 pound of dough.

Makes 2 strudels, 6 to 8 servings each.

Do you love TripAdvisor like I do? Get the free mobile app! If you’ve got an iPhone, Android or Ovi, use the app to get the best TripAdvisor has to offer. If you don’t, you can still visit TripAdvisor.com on your mobile device. Here are all the reasons to download it if you do!

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Want to get through airport security fast? See the 8 most suspicious, everyday things that you’ll get stopped for by TSAwith this great article in Budget Travel Magazine.

This just in: Shereen Travels Cheap will be featured on the Ebates blog on December 7th! Be sure to check out the blog other times, too, for great ideas on how to save with and without Ebates! 

You can also see other featured posts of mine on the following websites: 

The Little (Hotel Search) Engines That Could

London For Less (So You Can Buy More Shoes)

What's For Dinner?

How To Be a Frugal Foodie on Vacation

Pack Light. Look Great. Save Money.

How To Be a Travel Wine-o 11.27.10

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend everyone! The blog today will be short and sweet, because I’m off enjoying this time with my family.

You enjoy a glass of wine with dinner and anytime you dine out and belong to a wine club, sign up for wine-tasting classes and make frequent trips to the local winery…or local liquor store, because that’s as close to grape-squashing as you can get. Obviously, you’re well on your way to becoming a proper wine-o and only need to take that next step and plan your wine-centric vacation. While it may only be a weekend trip, don’t hesitate to plan something longer. There are a variety of trips that can accommodate all levels of wine-loving, from “just-discovered wine”-lovers to “Can’t go a day without it”-lovers (although if this is you, you might have a problem).

Save up to $90 on similar hotels and book now to stay at the Sheraton Sonoma County in Petaluma, California between now and March 15, 2011. For only $99 per night, you get upgraded to a deluxe oceanview room. This rate is available every day through March 15, including weekends and holidays. That is crazy and will probably never happen again, so you better book as soon as possible to get your room. You’ll also get two paSsses to visit a local Sonoma winery. Vineyards are only a 20 minute drive to Sonoma and 45 minute drive to Napa. The drive is beautiful, with rolling hills and picturesque views, so the time will fly by. And when you’re tired of wine-ing, drive 29 miles to the fun coastal town of Bodega Bay (where they filmed Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds) and enjoy shopping, amazing restaurants, golf and more!

Spend 2 nights in a Sonoma Wine Country Villa for 50% off. Book by November 30 through Living Social and for just $210 receive a package with 2 nights in the Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa in Bodega, CA, daily breakfast, two glasses of wine and 2 $20 spa credits. 

Stay in Napa Valley and get 50% off your third night at Vino Bello Resort between now and March 1.  Vino Bello is Californiawine country’s newest luxury resort, featuring old world Tuscan design, luxurious condominium accommodations, upscale amenities and more. Must book by January 31.

Tuscany in Spring - 6 nights, including RT airfare, car rental and two-bedroom apartment villa from only $899 per person. Bring your family or some friends, because this price is based on a group of 4 (you can get discounted pricing for fewer travelers though). Add wine and cheese tastings for $99 per person. You will stay at the 4-star Fattoria degli Usignoli, which is just a short 25 minute drive to Florence and offers a bowling green, tennis courts, horseback riding and a gourmet restaurant with an original wine cellar. Book by December 3 for travel in March and April.

Make sure to have a designated driver or take a cab if you're planning on having some drinks. Nothing ruins a vacation more than a DUI.

You can find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter! If you want more amazing deals and budget travel tips, choose a medium!

On my growing community of Facebook you can ask my questions and comment on posts, where I will respond if needed. Want to know if I’ve found a deal on trips to Bermuda or Romania or Spain? Message me or post on the wall and I’ll let you know right away! Also, there is a fun giveaway going on. Win free and awesome travel bags from Travelon. You can also get your friends in on it by suggesting they “like” Shereen Travels Cheap, too. They have a chance to win and if they do, then you’ll win an equally awesome travel item for referring them…so the more friends you get to join, the more chances YOU have to win. I might be seeing an iGo in someone’s future. The drawing for prizes will start when we reach 500 fans, so suggest, share posts, beg. Do whatever you have to do to get as many of your friends to join!

My Twitter followers are growing by leaps and bounds every day! If you prefer your deals and tips in a bite-size version, then Shereentrvlschp is where it’s at! While there’s no contest happening on Twitter yet, I DO have a plan for when we get closer to 2,000, so if you’re a fellow tweeter, jump on board now.

Want to get something funky to take on your trip or to buy for the fellow wine-o for Christmas, check out these fun and functional gifts.

Packable Wine Glasses 

Made of virtually indestructible BPA-free plastic, the stem unscrews from the bowl, and both stash in a handy travel pouch for easy packing.

Wine Journal

Sampling local wines is one of the great joys of travel, and with this stylish journal, recording the details of your favorites has never been easier. Each page allows space to list the wine name, variety and producer, and there's also a rating key, terminology guide, and notes section. It tucks into its smart, passport-sized faux leather cover for easy access anywhere, and comes with one extra journal.

Essential Wine Tasting Guide

The size of a credit card, this fold-out guide stores in your wallet and provides a detailed listing of every wine varietal, along with color-coded flavor descriptors, a color chart, scoring table, and temperature serving guide. It's the perfect way to become familiar with wine terminology and make wine-tasting trips even more enjoyable.

Label Lift

What better way to keep track of those special bottles of wine you discover along the way than by taking the label with you? Label Lift sheets separate the top printed layer of a wine label from its adhesive backing. Just apply the clear sticky sheet to the label and peel away the printed surface, leaving the backing still attached to the bottle. This clever process simultaneously removes and laminates the label so you can keep it as a memento of your dining experience.

Wine Skin

WineSkin protects wine bottles from the rigors of travel. An interior layer of bubble wrap provides protective padding, and two sticky seals prevent wine from leaking into your suitcase (in case rough handling leads to breakage).

This short post not doing it for you? Check out some of my guest posts on the following websites.

Cozy Up and Get Warm 11.24.10

With the temperatures around here close to freezing and snow promised to be on the way, it’s making me think of curling up next to a fire with some hot chocolate and a good book. Of course, I don’t have to be at home to do that, though my dog would love such a scenario. There are so many post-Thanksgiving vacation deals available, that it might be hard to choose, but sometimes after the holiday break, you feel like you need another break, so maybe this year you can give yourself a gift of a nice getaway.

It’s the season of long airport security lines. Please don’t make such a big fuss that you hold up everyone else. If they didn’t have these security measures, you could be the one sitting next to the guy with the bomb in his pants, and I think if you weigh the two options, a quick step into the body scanner at your local airport seems like the better way to go. Are Americans whiners?
And if, like me, you’re just happy to be going somewhere when you get to the airport, regardless of security hassles, here’s a great article on making holiday travel easier.

Jimmy Buffet claims it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. Well, the same is true for warm weather. Going somewhere warm is the best way to beat the winter blues and feel free from your coat and other heavy clothes. Pack up your shorts and t-shirts and take them to where you can get a tan. Everyone back home will be so jealous of your sunny glow when they are still pasty from the days of cloudy skies and freezing weather.

• Puerto Vallarta: Stay at the all-inclusive Barceló Puerto Vallarta for 35% off. Only $92/night/person between now and December 18. If you want to go after Christmas, you pay just $25 more for stays between December 24 and April 30. This 4-star resort offers only suites with free minibars. Enjoy daily entertainment, fully-equipped gym, 5-star restaurants, free kids’ club and more. 45 minutes from the airport, 15 minutes into central Puerto Vallarta and right on one of the city’s most beautiful beaches. Add massage services, flowers, wine and other amenities to your package before you even get there.  
• South America is experiencing their spring and summer right now. Fly LAN from only $318 roundtrip with their exclusive sale with Expedia. Plus, if you're planning a trip to Lima, Peru, you can make a side trip to Easter Island, Iguazu, or Cuzco, from an additional $187 roundtrip. Book by December 15 for travel throughout 2011.
• Experience the beauty of the islands and book a Hawaiian vacation package. 3-night trips with air from California from only $299 per person. Fly to Waikiki (or other islands for a bit more) and take in a luau, explore the beach, tour a volcano or take a helicopter trip over the island. There are so many options now that you’ve saved all that money getting and staying there. Book by November 28 for selected dates January 8-March 3.

You can find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter! If you want more amazing deals and budget travel tips, choose a medium!

On my growing community of Facebook you can ask my questions and comment on posts, where I will respond if needed. Want to know if I’ve found a deal on trips to Bermuda or Romania or Spain? Message me or post on the wall and I’ll let you know right away! Also, there is a fun giveaway going on. Win free and awesome travel bags from Travelon. You can also get your friends in on it by suggesting they “like” Shereen Travels Cheap, too. They have a chance to win and if they do, then you’ll win an equally awesome travel item for referring them…so the more friends you get to join, the more chances YOU have to win. I might be seeing an iGo in someone’s future. The drawing for prizes will start when we reach 500 fans, so suggest, share posts, beg. Do whatever you have to do to get as many of your friends to join!

My Twitter followers are growing by leaps and bounds every day! If you prefer your deals and tips in a bite-size version, then Shereentrvlschp is where it’s at! While there’s no contest happening on Twitter yet, I DO have a plan for when we get closer to 2,000, so if you’re a fellow tweeter, jump on board now.

Maybe you don’t mind packing a coat and sweaters and having to bundle up to hit the hustle and bustle of the wintery city streets. There are so many options for this kind of travel, too. And I won’t dare tell you to cut your coffee and hot chocolate budget here. Instead, save so much on your hotel and other aspects of your travel that you can afford those venti soy white chocolate mochas with whip cream and you’ll walk enough to burn off most of the calories, too! And remember, the faster you walk, the warmer you’ll be, so exercise helps you in at least two ways. Just watch out for those frozen puddles on the sidewalk.

• Curl up next to your very own fireplace at the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, VT on selected dates in December – March from just $149/night. This B&B is beautiful and offers you breakfast, afternoon tea and pastries, candelit turndown service and views of the snowcapped mountains. Rent a car to explore the surrounding area and be reminded of civilization, since there are no phones or TVs in guest rooms. TVs available by request, but I’m sure you can find other ways to relax. Maybe a quick nip into the Snooty Fox Pub on property for a nightcap. You can also have dinner in the attached restaurant, get an in-room massage or tromp around outside in the 15-acres of property.  Book by November 29.
• Thinking about taking a cruise next year? Book by Friday and get this awesome deal: Mediterranean 12-night cruise for $999 per person and $250 onboard credit per cabin and half off your deposit. THAT'S some real Black Friday savings! You'll be sailing on the Celebrity Constellation to Turkey to Greece, Egypt, Israel, Malta and Spain.

• Do some after-holidays shopping in one of the best shopping destinations in the world: New York City. Stay in a 4-star Times Square hotel from as little as $149/night. That’s 50% off current rates at the Millennium Broadway that offers panoramic views of the city and is only a 5 minute walk from Fifth Avenue (Saks, here you come!) and Rockefeller Center. Book by December 1 for travel December – February and get a room upgrade.
• Speaking of New York, why not relax after a long day of shopping with a 2-hour spa service? Save almost 70% off of a 60-minute massage and mani/pedi at the Jeunesse Spa and Salon. Or, you can add $40 and enjoy an hour-long couples massage instead. Purchase by midnight on November 25 and it can be redeemed by November 25, 2011.

What’s your dream destination? I have three: London, Australia and anywhere in Africa where I can go on safari. Even though I’ve already been to one (London), I keep it on my list, because if I can get back to it, I’ll do it as many times as I can. Maybe some of these deals I found over the week will fulfill those dreams.

• Egypt: Spend a week in Cairo from $999 per person. The package includes roundtrip international flights, accommodations and tours of the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and daily breakfast. You must book by December 8 to take advantage of this deal. Offered selected departure dates in December and January. Add extra tours and options to your package for an additional cost.

• Portugal: While if you wanted to visit Lisbon, it’s a 45 minute drive, you can stay right outside the “most romantic medieval village in Portugal” for a screaming deal. Rent a car and you can get out to see everything you want, though the draws ofPraia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort in Óbidos may make you never want to leave. Right on the water, you can book an oceanview room with a king or two queens for as little as $109/night. You get free breakfast, access to 8 restaurants and bars, an 18-hole championship golf course, indoor and outdoor pools, game room, gym and fitness center, 24-hour room service and complimentary valet parking. You can even bring your dog! Book by Monday November 29 for travel between December and February.

• Tuscany in Spring: 6 nights, including RT airfare, car rental and two-bedroom apartment villa from only $899 per person. Bring your family or some friends, because this price is based on a group of 4 (you can get discounted pricing for fewer travelers though). Add wine and cheese tastings for $99 per person. You will stay at the 4-star Fattoria degli Usignoli, which is just a short 25 minute drive to Florence and offers a bowling green, tennis courts, horseback riding and a gourmet restaurant. Book by December 3 for travel in March and April. Up to a $500 savings per person.

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