DC Specialty Travel Examiner

Coldwater Cafe: Ohio's Best Kept Culinary Secret

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:47:41 -0700

When I headed to Dayton, OH, for a long Memorial Day weekend, I joked that there wouldn't be anything fun to write about when I got back. Boy was I surprised!While restaurant reviews aren't normally my beat, I just had to share this gem of a place wi...

Is Joe Biden insane? Peter Greenberg responds to the VP's comments on the Swine Flu

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:54:59 -0700

All politics aside, I sometimes have to wonder how Joe Biden was chosen as our Vice President when his gaffs are so monumentally absurd. Today he made another one -- this time directly affecting the travel industry.Appearing on the Today show, the VP...

The vacation club experiment

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:01:22 -0700

We're on our last day of a fabulous weekend getaway, courtesy of Hilton Grand Vacations Club. Yes, we did have to sit through a two-hour sales pitch for the club, but it was actually very enlightening and made us scrutinize the way we travel and just...

What happens to travel when you lose your job?

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:11:37 -0700

The year was 2001 and I had just booked a dream trip to Thailand for a milestone birthday. Oh, it was going to be spectacular -- cooking lessons and massage classes in Bangkok, elephant rides in Chang Mai....complete cultural immersion. And then...

Travel delays and the technology to save your trip

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:13:07 -0700

I feel like a commercial for the iPhone, but every day I'm thankful that I have one. In the span of 10 minutes this evening I:learned my flight was canceled due to weatherchecked the weatherrescheduled my flight for the morningbooked a hot...

Travel restrictions to Cuba eased

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:55:50 -0700

In the first of what is expected to be many embargo reversals courtesy of the Obama administration, the President announced today that Cuban Americans will now be allowed to travel freely to visit and send money to their relatives in Cuba:President B...

I have the travel bug - diagnose yourself at TravelChannel.com

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:58:05 -0700

For those of you who know me personally, the idea of me being infected with the travel bug should come as no surprise.But now, thanks to the professionals at the Travel Channel, I've been officially diagnosed and a treatment plan has been outlined. H...

Should cruise passengers be worried about pirates?

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:06:52 -0700

I've been quietly watching the news of piracy off the coast of Africa for about a year now trying to get a handle on why they do it and how -- and wondering if the travel industry will ever be effected.With the action initially confined to the Gulf o...

Garden touring is bloomin' great

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:30:53 -0700

As soon as spring hits the Northeast thoughts turn from snowy streets to fields of wildflowers. And to me, nothing says spring like a garden tour.Whether you're interested in exploring gardens in your home town or expanding your horticultural horizon...

Spring on parade - cherry blossoms are blooming worldwide

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:20:18 -0700

Spring is my favorite time of year and there's nothing I look forward to more than the blooming of the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin here in DC. But, as you may know, the weather often mucks with our enjoyment of the spectacle (winds fre...

Get a spring roadtrip playlist and win!

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:49:55 -0700

No road trip is complete without the perfect soundtrack, right? Now you have the chance to name one of Rand McNally's Spring Road Trip Playlists and win a great prize that is sure to make your next drive one to remember.It's ...

'The Geography of Bliss' and the happiest place on Earth

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:48:58 -0700

My Danish friend and I have been commiserating over the gloomy weather on the East Coast this week and we're making plans to either move our families to a sunnier locale or sit together under full spectrum lamps until summer.What I find most ironic a...

Earth Hour darkens tourist spots worldwide

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:26:04 -0700

To raise awareness for Global Warming, major tourist attractions around the world will go dark this Saturday from 8:30 - 9:30pm, local time.Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour will start in Fiji and will roll across the globe as lan...

Run around Paris for less

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:05:08 -0700

To coincide with the Paris Marathon taking place on April 5, 2009, Context Travel has teamed with the Hotel de la Trémoille to offer visiting runners an amazing deal.You and a guest can participate in Context's Paris Running Tour and stay...

Watch 'Twilight' on DVD at Oregon's The View Point Inn

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 08:33:27 -0700

'Twilight' releases on DVD March 21, 2009For all you 'Twilight' devotees, Saturday is another big day as the film releases on DVD, fittingly at midnight.To celebrate, The View Point Inn -- aka the location of the prom scene -- is holding a 'Twilight'...

Southwest Airlines Safety Rap

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:35:50 -0700

Slightly off my usual topics, but this was too good not to share! If only all flights were this entertaining!

Discover the real Ireland this St. Patrick's Day

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:13:02 -0700

Ireland isn't all about shamrocks, leprechauns and the pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow. And I'm sure you'll agree that it's a place to be celebrated -- and visited! -- all year through.We're all familiar with the highlights of Ir...

Travel the world with Smithsonian experts

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:41:02 -0700

When I started working in the travel industry, I became intrigued with the idea of non-profit tourism. And no, it's not quite what you may be imagining.Non-profit travel is the term commonly used to describe educational tours offered by museums,...

Spend spring break in crime-free Baja, Mexico

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:52:10 -0700

I'm bummed -- and here's why.We planned an family amazing vacation to Grand Velas on Mexico's Riviera Maya, which has now been cancelled due to the rise in drug-related crimes. Despite my protestations that the incidents have been, for the most ...

Celebrate the summer of love in Taos with Dennis Hopper and 'Easy Rider'

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:43:07 -0700

This summer, celebrate the 40th anniversary of Easy Rider with Taos' oft-resident, Dennis Hopper.In honor of the classic film that immortalized the quintessential American road trip, Taos is holding a motorcycle rally in Red River on Memorial Day&nbs...