Shereen Travels Cheap

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Around the World in Foodie Days (Part 2) 12.11.10

Continued from 12.8.10...

Food for thought: Travel and food go hand in hand. Do you often think about food when you think about travel and vacation? I know I do. We will try our darndest to find the cheapest flight available and hope that it has a layover in Dallas at the DFW airport. If we didn’t have real travel plans, we have talked about vacationing IN that airport. Unfortunately, it could only be a 2 day trip, but it would be 2 days full of shopping and eating! Since we do make real travel plans, we settle for a long layover (3 hours is good), so we can look at some shops, ride the Skylink, eat at Chilis Too and grab an order of Popeyes Chicken to go. Yeah, I know we’re the weird couple who actually enjoys being at the airport, but it also affords us to take our time, stretch our legs, maybe grab a way-too-many-calorie Ben & Jerry waffle cone ice cream sundae and do a solid bit of people-watching. It is fact that we have more food packed from DFW to our destination than when we started our journey out of Portland, Ore.

Shereen Travels Cheap is featured on Ebates! This is really exciting, since Ebates has a huge audience, but I guess all my posts are exciting to me. If you or someone you know is interested in taking a destination holiday this year (or any other year) please take a look and pass it on via Facebook, Twitter or email. Thanks for the support!

So, why travel to other destinations if I could just go to DFW and get my fix and come home? There are so many reasons why.

New cuisines. I may love Chilis and am still hurt by their multiple-restaurant closure in Oregon (why?!), but I’m aware it’s not “cuisine”. I can get the same thing anywhere else in the country, probably closer to home, but it’s one of my favorite restaurants, so eating there on vacation makes it special. Aside from that one thing, I am excited to try new foods that are local to where I’m visiting. I could probably eat at Tigin Irish Pub & Restaurant in D Terminal, but I would much rather eat at a real Irish bar in Ireland.

Meet the locals. I’m sure most of the people that work in DFW are local to the area and there are probably more nationalities in that airport at any given time than most other places I would go, but they are all busy and going one place or another. I want to immerse myself in a culture when I travel. The destination is the goal, I just happen to also enjoy the journey there.

Carry-on free. I like running around the airport with all my worldly (travel) possessions in my wheelie bag, but this doesn’t really help you browse stores or look at things. At least at your destination you have a home base for your things and can leave them without worrying about airport security blowing them because unattended luggage might be a bomb.

Kodak moments. I suppose I could take a bunch of pictures of myself and Eric in the airport doing random things, like buying bagels, and say we had a wonderful trip, but people are going to ask me why it looks like we’re in a mall in each picture. Get out, see the (real) sights and take pictures of scenery, buildings, people, animals and whatever else looks like it would make a good statement hanging on your wall at home (or in your photo album).

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When you think of places that are famous for food, do you long to go there like I do? Which food is calling your name? Is it sushi or pasta or kangaroo burgers? (Don’t blame me that that’s a real thing.) Well, let’s see what other fun places you can visit that is a foodie destination.

Ever been to a luau? If roast pig, poi, pineapples and coconuts sound like your kind of culinary adventure, Hawaii is on sale for you through Monday December 13. Rates from west coast cities are at some of the lowest prices I’ve seen for Hawaiian airlines (or any other carrier), starting at $333 to Maui and Honolulu. Ask for a new bathing suit and sunscreen for Christmas so you can start packing for your trip. Travel between January 11 and June 9. You don’t even have to pack snacks on your flight, because Hawaiian still feeds you for free! Travel ticker can even help you find an affordable hotel if you need one.

I guess it depends on your food preferences on whether or not you go to Ireland for the cuisine, but many people do and proclaim its deliciousness (unless that’s the Guinness talking). If boiled bacon and cabbage or Irish stew don’t really sound all that yummy to you, what about Boxty (a traditional potato pancake), Dublin Bay prawns or even Dublin Lawyer (lobster cooked in whiskey and cream)? Even I have to add those to my list of something to try when I make it over there. Get myself a nice Irish coffee to go with my dessert and I’ll be good to go…to sleep that is. After a meal like that, I’ll need a good night of rest so I can get up the next day and do some sightseeing that doesn’t involve the local pub.

Right now, Priceline is offering a great deal to those who want to kiss the Blarney Stone. (Seriously, don’t do that. It’s covered in germs.) 4 nights at the 5-star Adare Village Resort and 2 nights at the 4-star Croke Park Hotel in Dublin, with RT airfare on Aer Lingus and car rental for the week from the low, low price of $499 per person. (This price is based on 4 travelers in a party, but deals also available for 2-6 travelers if you have less or more!) Book by midnight December 14 for travel dates in 2011.

I love to hear about food the world over even if I can’t travel there…yet. Sign up for the Found It. Ate It. blog on Divine Caroline and get 3-4 yumtastic listings every few days sent to your email inbox. Each one is different and may focus on a topic (like fries) or a place (such as San Francisco), but all have great suggestions that make you hungry. I print out listings I find particularly tempting and put it in my “future travel” folder for when I plan a trip. Then I will have some ideas of shops, food carts or restaurants I want to visit when I get there. And if the words don’t getcha, the mouthwatering pictures surely will.

When you go out for your birthday and get to pick the restaurant, do you immediately think of inari, California roll, unagi, tako and some wasabi? If you have no idea what these are, then you probably are not a sushi lover. For those of you that are, you are a lover of the lunchtime sushi-go-round and anywhere else that serves the tasty rolled up ocean-dwellers. While I’m not a fan myself (the rice wine vinegar is not my friend) I can appreciate the art of the sushi roll and wouldn’t mind a trip to the founding nation of the bite-size nibbles. I’m talking, of course, of Japan. Known for more than just sushi, you can go skiing, visit the beach and much more (one of those being Tokyo Disney).

Priceline has teamed up with Japan Airlines (JAL) to bring you this flight deal that is almost half of the regular flight prices I’ve seen in the last 6 months! $796 RT will fly you to Kyoto, Tokyo, Okinawa or many other cities. You must book by December 23rd for flights through March 17. This is a great opportunity for you to fly around the globe for almost the cost of flying across the country.

Find your way to New Orleans in December and take in the city’s history, awesome hospitality, music and best of all, all the Cajun food you can eat! If a pot of boiling crawdads gets you salivating, then here’s a great deal for you and your tastebuds. Spend some time before, after or during Christmas at the Luxe New Orleans Marriott for just $109/night. It includes 20% off dining and free parking. Near the riverfront, Bourbon Street and the Museum of Art, you are surrounded by the best the city has to offer, and I’m sure étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo and beignets will be calling your name in no time. Maybe you can practice your French for when you make your trip to France to nosh on haute cuisine, such as bouillabaisse, cassoulet, beef bourguignon, frog legs and escargot. If that all sounds painfully foreign to you, maybe stick to the more conventional Cog au vin, beef Wellington and chocolate soufflé.

While not really a foodie destination, Las Vegas is full of buffets, which can have many different ethnic foods. One of my favorites is the Around The World Buffet at Rio. You can get almost anything you want there and if you aren’t sure, it gives you the ability to sample something from different parts of the globe.

Right now, you can spend more on buffets and less on lodging by booking a room at the Polo Towers Suites on The Strip. For just $49/night (weekend rates add $20) you can stay in a suite with a kitchenette and balcony. Book by December 15 for stays through March 31. This is a heck of a deal. Regular rates can be well over $200/night at this hotel. Located next toMGM and New York New York, you can visit the lions for free, walk the streets of New York, take in a Cirque du Soliel show, take a roller coaster ride and try your luck at the slots. When you want to get away from the action of the casinos, go back to Polo Towers and use the rooftop pool and jacuzzi.

To Be Continued…

Still need a holiday gift for someone that loves to travel? Here are some of my new brilliant ideas that haven’t already been given out in the previous posts over the past month.

Culinary Travel Journal

Good food, journal writing and European travel combine to form an enticing new package designed for gourmands venturing to European shores. We've included the ever-popular handy travel tips and information sections, as well as ample writing space to record every delectable moment of your trip. Special to this volume are entirely new sections on cooking schools, established European restaurants, farmers' and outdoor food markets, wine regions, food and specialty shops and more. With this journal in hand, you can fulfill all your foodie fantasies and have the pages in which to record every last sweet and savory detail.

Abroad: A Travel Journal and Organize

Going somewhere? Wish you were? There's no time like the present for planning that dream trip. Both travel guide and travel journal, this is the place to plan, dream, document experiences, and keep track of important details. Abroad is packed with inspiring tips and travel information, and features two pockets for storing tickets and maps, an elastic band, and enough amusing asides from fellow travelers to keep you smiling through most train and bus rides. With Abroad in hand, the trip never has to end.

Violight VIO200 Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer

For the traveling germaphobe in your life. The Violight is able to kill 99.9-percent of the bacteria living on your toothbrush with its UV light. Runs on AA batteries. You brush your teeth, put your toothbrush in the Violight, close the lid and let it do its job. It automatically turns off when sanitation is complete.

Can’t afford a trip this holiday? Make a trip to your nearest Cost Plus World Market store and pick up a box of Beers of The World (or buy online). Get 10 bottles from a variety of nations. It’s like international bar-hopping, but without having to pack or leave your house (except to buy it).

Wish there were even more deals in this blog? Well, you can subscribe to The #traveldeals Daily, too, and get a newspaper page full of travel deals from Tweeters like me.

Don’t forget to watch this space for new posts and updates on featured posts by ME! Yeah, yeah, I’m all about myself sometimes…but still, don’t forget to check out these great posts I did for the following websites (which you should also take a look at, because they were awesome enough to let me post for them and because they are totally useful).

And next week (tentatively), Shereen Travels Cheap will be featured on My Itchy Travel Feet, a great blog for baby boomers, but really informative no matter what your age is.

Anything I haven’t covered that you’re longing to see? Well, don’t be shy! Take the anonymous poll and let me know where it is you want to go or learn more about! If you don’t care about being invisible, you can take it anyway, or you can come post on my Facebook wall and ask me questions. I LOVE feedback of any kind.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Around the World in Foodie Days (Part 1) 12.8.10

Yes, Foodie. If you’re like me, you often go out to eat or make something at home and think “Boy, I bet this _______ would sure taste better/different in _______.” Like, eating pasta in Italy is probably a totally different experience than, say, a trip to the Olive Garden or having a burrito at Taco Bell versus eating one in Mexico or Spain. Of course, I love to eat and can plan a whole vacation around dining venues. In fact, one of the first things I do when I find out I’m going somewhere new is see what kind of local food they have and which restaurants are available nearby…and then I make as many reservations as I can. Not that I’m not excited about the rest of the trip, but food really does create strong memories of places for me. Eric and I don’t sit around saying “Remember that church we went to that had the gold ceiling?” It’s more like “Remember the church with all the gold ceilings where we had that awesome tiramisu in the café before we left?” If that’s how conversations about your travels are, or you just love good food, this entry is for you.

Where are some of your favorite food memories from? Are they from Michelin-starred restaurants in big cities or are they cheap plates you picked up on the street at a food cart? I’ve had good and bad food at both expensive restaurants and cheap food stalls. Of course, the good food will stick with you no matter what, even if you can’t remember the name of where you got it, but bad food can really ruin a trip, especially if you paid an arm and a leg for it.

Four years ago we took our honeymoon in London and Paris. We had heard so much about how bad the food was in England and how awesome it was in France and we didn’t really make too many plans for food before we got there. We figured we would find something good no matter where we went. Unfortunately, the best thing we had to eat in France was a ham and cheese baguette we got at a kiosk near Notre Dame and everything we ate in London was delicious, except for one meal, which we pretty much knew was going to be less than stellar. So, now I always say “research and reserve”. If you can’t reserve, then do your research, that way you won’t spend a million dollars on food that sucks. Keep a list handy with you on your travels of the preferred dining venues near your sightseeing locations each day, just in case. You’ll be prepared; as we will be next time we visit.

When you think of places that are famous for food, do you long to go there like I do?

For the love of Cod! Iceland is #1 in cod production in the world. They fish extensively for it and create amazing dishes with it, too. Not only that, some Icelandic restaurants use geothermal vents for power and cook exclusively with the steam produced by these natural wonders. Amazingly, the heat from the vents can start water boiling in about eight seconds. Way to use the earth for economical and eco-friendly energy! If you’re a lover of cod (and other seafood), Reykjavik is always a fantastic destination to visit. It may be cold and snowy, but the landscape is beautiful and the residents are super friendly. While the restaurants may be on the expensive side, you can find lodging for relatively cheap and you can walk all over the city. You can always rent an apartment or house and save on your food budget and just go out for lunch or dinner each day. That way, you’ll be able to do more things than expected and also try the local cuisine without breaking the bank.

Here’s a wonderful option: Luna Hotel Apartments offer the best of both worlds. Affordable accommodations and kitchenette facilities in each room. You can rent a studio for 80 Euros or less, depending on the season, and with this coupon from TripAdvisor, you can save 20% off your room rates with stays of 3 nights or more.The Luna Hotel Apartments are located in a quiet neighborhood, but still within walking distance of the city center and the main shopping district. It was rated 4.5 out of 5 by travelers on TripAdvisor and ranks #1 on their popularity index of all the B&Bs/Inns in Reykjavik. 20% off is good on bookings through March.

Ever wonder what your suitcase has picked up on your travels. You may not want to know, but Budget Travel asks some experts how to clean it.

Mamma Mia! Baklava, dolmas, spanikopita and oh so much more! If you love spinach, feta, lamb and all other things Greek, why not go straight to the source? It’s the only way to have authentic Grecian cuisine short of adopting a Greek family as your own and learning the kitchen secrets from YaYa (that’s the grandmother). If you can’t wait for the Greek festival to come back each year, start planning your vacation to Greece. You’re due.

In fact, if you want to be right in the middle of Athens, but not really RIGHT in the middle of Athens (all the beauty and convenience of the city without all the crowds and noise), think about making reservations at the Margi Hotel in Vouliagmeni, Greece. Though hard to pronounce, this great little Athens’ neighborhood features this beautiful hotel close to the Aegean Sea, golf courses, shopping streets and public transport that can take you right into the city center if you choose. Eat and shop to your heart’s content and then come back to Margi to relax by the candlelit pool, one of the numerous cocktail bars or in your super comfortable room. Save 40% off at Travel + Leisure’s Vacationist and get rates as low as $125/night, which includes daily buffet breakfast that’ll rev you up for whatever you have planned each day. Vouliagmeni and the Margi Hotel have something for everyone. Book by midnight on Sunday for this awesome deal. If you don’t have a Vacationist account, it is by invitation-only. Join by clicking here.

Don’t forget to shrink all your liquids to fit in that dreaded 3-1-1 bag (For more on how to pack this more efficiently, check out my previous blog post) for your holiday travel. If you need a travel size of ANYTHING check out Minimus.biz. They have added even more minis to their inventory this week and many other ones are on sale!

Chocolate, chocolate, more chocolate and…cheese? You’ll be anything but neutral when you touch down in the picturesque landscape of Switzerland. Spend your days on the slopes and your evenings drinking hot cocoa by the fire. Stay 7 nights and pay for only 6 with this deal from Switzerland’s Tourism board. With rates as low as $673 per person in the quaint town of Interlocken and other Swiss cities. Find out everything you ever wanted to know about Switzerland and what it has to offer, as well as browse the many travel deals for the winter season.

To Be Continued…

Want to make reservations for restaurants ahead of time and get something else out of it besides a table? Use Open Table and Top Table to find restaurants in all price ranges and read diner reviews. Book your reservations right online and have details sent to your email inbox. When you complete a reservation (you check in at the front desk of the venue and give them your name) you receive points in your account. Once you reach 2,000 points, you are eligible for a free dining certificate. It gets you $20 off your next dine out at a participating restaurant.

Are you still looking for that perfect gift for the person who loves to travel? If it’s the lady in your life, why not get her some stylish travel clothing? En-day is a wonderful site that carries a select few pieces of truly versatile travel pieces for women. They come in beautiful colors, each piece coordinates with others and they are made from durable, odor-resistant fabric. I own several pieces myself and still have others on my wish list. You can even throw in some fun extras, like their “beauty pucks”, so they look refreshed wherever they are in their travels or the compressed panty collection. A 7-day set of thong underwear that can fit right in your pocket. They fit nicely in a stocking, too!

Wish there were even more deals in this blog? Well, you can subscribe to The #traveldeals Daily, too, and get a newspaper page full of travel deals from Tweeters like me.

And next week (tentatively), Shereen Travels Cheap will be featured on My Itchy Travel Feet, a great blog for baby boomers, but really informative no matter what your age is.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

You’re Just Like a Movie Star…Sort of. 12.4.10

Do you ever watch a movie or TV show and say “Hey! That looks familiar!” or see a place that looks so amazing that you want to go there? I think we all must do this. If you’re lucky, you might be somewhere when things are being filmed. If you’re luckier than me, you’ll actually stop and see something happening with the actual film star. I have been privileged enough to be in London during the filming of a Bourne movie with Matt Damon, but my husband and I were on our way to the aquarium and didn’t stop. Had we done so, we may have seen the actor running through Waterloo Station, instead of kicking ourselves months later when we saw Bourne Ultimatum and realized he was right where we were standing.

London has been the setting for many movies. One of the most popular film locations is Portabello Road Market. With hundreds of stalls, you can find almost anything you want there, from produce to antiques, and the memory of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in the movie Notting Hill.

Let Travelocity take you to London with their advance purchase packages, including airfare and hotel, starting at just $908 per person. If you’d rather you’re your own airfare, just make hotel reservations.
You can find amazing airfare prices to Europe with Lufthansa, including London, from just $211 each way. Book by December 8 and complete your travel by April 30, 2011.

"Like" Shereen Travels Cheap on Facebook to win awesome travel prizes and see more useful budget tips and travel deals. Get all your friends to join, too!

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My family and I took a trip to Las Vegas in 2000 and saw a film crew at the old Desert Inn on The Strip. When we asked what was going on, they said they were setting up for an action scene in Rush Hour 2, where the Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker jump out of a window and slide down a wire with Chinese lanterns on it. Unfortunately, we stood watching for quite a long time and nothing happened, so we wandered off to do some gambling. The next year we saw the actual scene when the movie came out. Take yourself on a tour of Vegas hot spots where movies like What Happens in Vegas, The Hangover, Oceans Eleven, Casino and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and TV shows including Las Vegas and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation were shot.

Right now you can’t throw a rock without hitting a deal for Las Vegas, so it’s definitely the time to book a trip. Get amazing package deals from BookIt for all the major hotels.Aand if you need a rental car for your trip there, check out Hotwire’s Hot Rates that start at just $9.95 per day.

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It seems like every other movie you see is filmed in New York, from When Harry Met Sally to Sex and the City and Date Night. Do you have an inner “big city” personality itching to get out? Well, you can do it up Big Apple style with 40% off of Amsterdam Court near Times Square. You’ll be right down the street from Rockefeller Center, too. Rates start at just $125 per night for stays in January and February and you’ll be right in the heart of the city, which easy access to the Subway or a short walk to NYC iconic sites like Radio City Music Hall. You can even enjoy a complimentary espresso in the hotel lounge to unwind after a day of sightseeing. Book by December 8 for this amazing deal.

After you’ve played Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston on Friends) at Barneys, drag your carrier bags to nearby Mon Petit Café and enjoy a French dinner for two for just $49, including a glass of wine for you and your dinner partner. Rated 4-stars by diners on Yelp, Mon Petit Café has been serving delicious food on the Upper East Side for over 25 years. Choose any two entrees and any two appetizers or desserts, 2 glasses of house wine and coffee or tea for this deal. Normally, it would cost you around $100, but if you purchase this deal by December 9, you get up to half off! Certificate is valid for a year from purchase.

I’m not a big Woody Allen fan (please don’t stone me to death), but I did enjoy his latest film with Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz. Vicky Christina Barcelona definitely had an interesting story, but even more so it had a beautiful backdrop for a setting in Spain. Take advantage of the beautiful scenery, people and food by going on a 6-night trip to Barcelona, including RT airfare, accommodations and daily continental breakfast from $849 per person. Make your own itinerary where you can visit the beaches, admire the architecture and find amazing restaurants. Add the Barcelona Card and/or the Gothic Quarter Walking Tour for an added cost to your package.

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The Northwest is getting some love from films and TV as well. We’ve had films like Sleepless in Seattle, Mr. Holland’s Opus,Burn After Reading, The Ring and Swordfish and shows including Leverage (I can drive downtown and see them setting up for shots) and Portlandia. Why not come check out what else Portland, Seattle and everything in between has to offer with Hyatt Place Holiday offer and stay for as little as $79/night. Spend 2 nights and get the 3rd at 50% off! You must stay by January 17 and stay on consecutive nights. Plus, with their Best Rate Guarantee, you’ll never have to look elsewhere to see if the price is cheaper. If you DO find a cheaper rate on another site for the same room on the same travel date(s), call Hyatt and they will beat that lower price by 20%.

Want to find more places you can go that you saw in movies? Check out these cool books that give you location information for movies. Get all three for less than $40. Excellent gift for yourself, the traveler or movie buff on your holiday list. Get free super saver shipping with your purchase of $25 or more or upgrade to quicker shipping for not much more if you are still searching for a Hanukkah gift.

Don’t forget to take pictures to capture your movie memories after you’ve gone back home. You can make an entire “movie” scrapbook of all the places you’ve been and pull it out to show others when you watch movies! Or maybe NOT be a nerd, but still, in order to get those priceless memories, you’ll need a good camera. I recommend the Fuji Finepix that is good for everything! It's waterproof (not just resistant) and has 12MP with 5x optical zoom. It has a built-in instruction manual. When you scroll through the menu, each option gives you a description right on the screen. No more guessing which setting to use.

Here's another great gift idea, for yourself or another traveler on your list: Pack-It gift sets from Eagle Creek and TravelSmith. Pack like a pro with little effort. Both sets under $30. There's still time to get your gifts for Hanukkah if you upgrade to express shipping...and don't forget to use Ebates for cashback!

Don't forget to check the Ebates blog tomorrow for a special Shereen Travels Cheap post. And you can also view other articles I've done on these great websites below.

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