Happy Lundi Gras!

Got your beads and king cake ready for Mardi Gras? The weeks and especially the days leading up to Tuesday feature their own special fun. Today in New Orleans, Lundi Gras has numerous parades including Zulu (traditonally it never follows the same route), Orpheous (a celebration of the God of Music) and Proteus 9the second oldest krewe in parade history). If you're not in NoLa, watch the parades via Paradecam.

This past Friday's celebration featured the 41st annual Greasing of the Poles ceremony. The poles in the French Quarter are greased with  petroleum jelly to deter over-zealous revelers from scooting up to coveted balcony space during Mardi Gras parades. Today it's a ceremony celebrating the district. Thats Nicondra Norwood and Siemny Chhuon, representing New Orleans’ Fox and NBC broadcast station, above, getting ready to climb.

Best Travel Websites

One day, we hope to be included in Travel & Leisure's roundup of the best travel websites. Until then, we'll share our faves off the 2009 list.

The article gives high marks to Bing.com's fare forecasting. The site would have come in handy when we were booking our airline tickets to Vegas. We waited a week to book our tickets in the hopes the prices would come down. They didn't. T&L says Bing.com is right 87 percent of the time, which is a heck of a lot better than a shot in the dark.

We like idea of iFly.com for "Make the Best of a Layover," but think the site must be run by men. Point 1: We found no mention of spas or nail salons, like SeaTac's Butter London. Point 2: The in-town layover ideas give users no idea how long the trip will take. For example, if you want to checkout NYC's Radio City between flights at JFK, you better have at least 3 hours to get there and back with traffic. A woman would never be such a poor planner.

TripKick is another site that could have helped us on our recent trip to Vegas. The site dishes on what rooms to select for size, noise, view and more at various hotels. In Vegas, Hope was the first to arrive and had to change our room at the Palazzo twice! The first one had plumbing problems, then the second was a 3-mile hike from the elevators. As T&L points out, the list of hotels TripKick covers is small, but growing.

Travel Tuesday Links

Looking for some late-night life? (NYMag) The Trilby at the Cooper Square Hotel pictured above.

Fashion gives back to Japan. (InStyle)

Learn how one Paris Perfumer is helping Japanese relief effort at Travel + Leisure.

See how rising oil prices will effect your travel plans. (Seattle Times)

Explore Japanese landmarks and culture in Hawaii with the San Francisco Chronicle.

Travel Tuesday Links

Need a vacation? Enter to win a trip to the Palazzo Las Vegas (Glamour)

East coasters and midwesterners take note: here's how to order an In-N-Out burger like a regular. (A Hamburger Today)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Budget Travel readers share their favorite photos of Ireland. (Budget Travel).

Thinking about opting out of a full body scan at the airport? Find out what happens next. (Wanderlust and Lipstick)

Foodies fare well in Sante Fe! (Boston Herald)

This is for all you droolers out there: Cailin tells us how to look attractive while sleeping on a plane. (Cailin Travels)

Tickets on sale today for the 2012 Olympics in London. Learn about the process. Hint: it's not on a first-come, first-serve basis... (CNN)

Travel Survival Kit

Here's a little something that should be in everyone's carry on: the Ms. and Mrs. Minimergency Travel Kit. It has all those little things you're likely to need—and just as likely to forget to pack. It contains: Hairspray, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, emery board, lip balm, earring backs, clear elastics, sewing kit, double-sided tape, stain remover, deodorant towelette, pain reliever, tampon, breath freshener, dental floss, and adhesive bandages. Plus it all comes in an adorable metallic pouch.

The Mr. and Mrs. Minimergency Travel Kit is $12. Available on MsandMrs.com.

Get Dressed With the Help of an App

Now that we finally have our Verizon iPhone, we're on the hunt for the best travel apps. One we love it the Wearcast App. You punch in your location or destination and the app gives you customized outfits for that day's weather and four days ahead. You can even let it know how sensitive to cold you are. The Wearcast App was created with help from our favorite meteorologist, Lonnie Quinn of the CBS Early Show, and Proenza Schouler art director Alejandro Cardenas. It makes packing for your trip a snap!

Find out more about Wearcast.

On Our Radar: Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have arrived in New York. The boutique hotel experts with both on-line and 24 hour in-house advisors, lend their advice on over 700 fabulous hotels worldwide. All of their hotspots have been visited and reviewed at least twice- once by a team member and once by a tastemaker (think Stella McCartney, Dita von Teese and Cate Blanchett). Check their site for these in depth and quirky reviews.

You don't have to be a member to book on-line; but members get special perks like money-back and exclusive travel deals. James Lohan and his wife, Tamara, started the company in London in 2003 after an unfortunate travel experience. "We go to extraordinary lengths to select the world’s best boutique hotels, and then we anonymously review all of them so we’re certain it’s the most passionately discerning collection on the planet," said Lohan.

We checked MrandMrsSmith.com for NYC just see to if they're on target with their choices. Sure enough they recommended and insightfully reviewed some of our favorite boutique hotels like the Soho House (pictured above), the Standard NY, the Ace Hotel, the Greenwich Hotel and more.

Jetsetter's Caribbean Sale

Mark your calendar for tomorrow, May 13 at 3 pm EST to take advantage of Jetsetter's Caribbean Jetaways sale.  In addition to getting rates that are a screaming deal, when you book a stay, you'll get a discount on a JetBlue flight to use on your trip. Rates start at $200 per night and include such fab properties as Cap Maison, St. Lucia; The Crane, Barbados (that's Annie on the terrace of one of The Crane's suites, above) ; Round Hill, Jamaica; Le Domaine de Lonvilliers, St. Martin.

Not a member of Jetsetter (if you're a member of Gilt, you are)? Use our exclusive JSG invite.

Conde Nast Traveler Gold List iPhone App

Condé Nast Traveler recently introduced the Gold List App for your iPhone. The free app gives you access to the Gold List of hotels, resorts and cruise lines right on your phone. You can scan photos and reviews and instantly book trips on your phone. For those who are last minute planners, there's even a "Near Me" button to find the Gold List hotel closest to you. You'll never be bored in line at the post office again!

Download the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List iPhone App.

See our other favorite travel iPhone Apps.

Eboost Pomegranate Acai

While we're certainly not the biggest Eboost fans out there, we hope the new Eboost Pomegranate Acai flavor that's launching today is a bit more palatable. If you try it first, let us know what you think. It goes on sale today at QVC.com.

What to Do if Your Flight Is Canceled

With all the snow this past month, we're sure you know someone who had a flight canceled. At one point in February, 49 of the 50 states reportedly had snow! Wendy Perrin of Condé Nast Traveler had it happen to her and her family on flights to Hawaii and shares her experience of rebooking her canceled flights.

We have a few tips of our own to add from our own experience:
1. If your flight gets canceled while you're at the airport, don't join the line of 50+ angry passengers all getting help from the one tired gate agent. Well, do, but simultaneously, break out your phone and call the airline's 800 number. Chances are, you'll ge through faster on the phone.

2. Be nice. Our friend Heidi had her United flight from L.A. to  D.C. canceled on our recent girls' getaway the day before her flight. Heidi called United and spent an hour plus on hold. When she finally got patched through, the customer service agent rebooked her to get home on a red eye and gave her a $400 credit for not yelling like every other customer apparently had that day. Heidi credits the laid back L.A. vibe for her good humor.

How to Book a Frequent Flier Seat

Don't you hate when you finally have enough frequent flyer points for a free ticket, but can never find a seat on the plane you want and can only get to your destination with a connection and a five hour layover? You'll love this piece over on the Perrin Post about How to Get the Flights You Want With the Miles You Have.

Among the tips: Pick up the phone, fly into and out of different airports and look at partner airlines.

Read the full piece on Concierge.com.

Our Guest Post on Cheap-O-Air

Little known fact: Sometimes the best of friends don’t make the best of travel companions. Because while you may eat lunch in the conference room together daily or hit happy hour for mojitos on Fridays; while you’re on the road, every little annoyance and disagreement intensifies. Read How To Know If Your Friends Make Good Travel Companions.

If you're not familiar with Cheapoair, it's a new travel site for discounted airline tickets.

On Our Radar: the Cancun Beach Recovery Project

We had a memorable trip to the Ritz-Carlton Cancun last fall (follow the link to see a video slideshow of our trip).  Though the hotel was amazing, its beachfront was somewhat narrow, a result of Hurricane Wilma's devastation in 2005.  The Ritz-Carlton recently added 300 feet to its beach as part of Cancun's $71 million beach recovery project.  As a result, the white-sand beach is larger than ever before.  Below are the impressive before and after pictures showing the beach improvement:

This view is identical to the one we had from our suite.  See how narrow the beach was?

 

Hotel guests did not have access to the ocean during the recovery project.

The width of the beach after the recovery project is a remarkable improvement.

As cold as it's been on the East Coast for the past month, a trip to Cancun is in order!

Replacing Items in the Minibar Unethical?

In Sunday's New York Times, ethicist Randy Cohen tells a traveler that replacing the Oreos he ate from the minibar with an identical box bought at a convenience store in an effort to save a few bucks is wrong, as "The hotel is providing not just a product but also a service." We're going to disagree with Randy on this one. The reader also provided a service by walking to the convenience store to get the cookies.

What do you think?

Hotel Reviews

We loved the chart on the different hotel review websites that the Washington Post featured in Sunday's paper, but the writer left off our favorite site: Trip Advisor. Trip Advisor relies on user reviews, so you get more than one person's experience and feelings on the hotel. It does require a little reading between the lines--one person's expectations and concerns may not be the same as yours--and a suspiciously glowing review among one-star ones may have been written by management.

On our upcoming trip to L.A., we're considering a stay at the Beverly Hills Montage. What we learned from the review on TripAdvisor: It's pricey, even for those who aren't cheap--think $10 for a banana; everyone loves the location, and some people loved the service, while others seem to hate it. It also appears to be quite popular with the Brits.Verdict: We haven't ruled it out yet, but will keep looking. That's the pool, as photographed by TripAdvisor user SoCalTravel, who warns us that the pool is smaller than it photographs.

Vegas Trip Coordinator

Planning a trip is hard work, even when you're experts like us. That's why we're happy to see that Harrah's is stepping up and helping those who are planning group trips to their properties in Las Vegas. (Harrah's properties include Caesar's Palace, Paris, Rio, Flamingo and Bally's), Tahoe and Atlantic City. Anyone who books five rooms or more gets complimentary access to a "Total Experiences" specialists, who will help line up restaurant reservations, spa treatments (including Crystal Body Art applications at Caesar's Qua Bath and Spas shown above VIP club access and much more. The coordinator can help you think of things you never even thought you could do, like after-hours shopping trips so you don't have to deal with the crowds, kitchen tours and backstage access at shows. Heck, we may even try this on our next Vegas trip!

Americans Are Doing More, Spending Less

We couldn't agree more with this New York Times story, "Americans Doing More, Spending Less a Poll Finds." In fact, when we were given cash for Christmas (apparently, we're hard to buy for), we spent it on tickets to see Fela on Broadway (above) and bought a plane ticket to L.A.

How about you? Are you forgoing shoes and handbags for experiences?

Photo credit: Monique Carboni

The Best Travel Apps for the iPhone

While neither of us has an iPhone--we're stubbornly waiting until it's available with our cell providers--we know there are lots of amazing apps out there for it that  help with directions, flight delays, restaurants, enable Skype (above) even finding the nearest public bathroom. Here's a round up of apps that other sites found the most interesting. Let us know your favorite!

Travel & Leisure's Best Apps for the iPhone.

National Geographic Adventurer's Best Travel Apps for the iPhone.

Go Nomad's Best Travel Apps for the iPhone.

USA Today's Best Travel Apps for the iPhone.

Do you have a favorite one to add to the list?

TSA Changes

With so many of us traveling over the holidays and the failed Christmas day attack on a Northwest Airlines flight, we checked the TSA website regarding heightened security.  The TSA has added security measures; but they aren't disclosing the changes which vary from airport to airport.  You can also expect to stow your carry on bags, turn off electronics and remain seated for longer periods once you're on your flight.  Our advice?  Arrive earlier than usual and expect longer lines at the security gates. 

We're always interested in changes to the carry on regulations, since we try to avoid checking whenever possible.  Here's a sampling of some of the things TSA wants you to pack in your checked baggage or leave at home. 

Cranberry sauce, cologne, creamy dips and spreads (cheeses, peanut butter, etc.), gift baskets with food items (salsa, jams and salad dressings), gravy, jams, jellies, lotions, maple syrup, oils and vinegars, perfume, salad dressing, and salsa.

We're puzzled by the cheese restriction: do they make draw a line between a triple cream and an aged cheddar?  When in doubt, send or pack it.  By the way, pies can be carried on but are subject to additional screening.

Photo courtesy of www.tsa.gov