Whimsical Travel Products for Your Summer Vacation

What a thrill to appear on Great Day Washington this morning with football great Darrell Green. Here's the segment.

If you don't want to watch, here's a recap of the products featured.

Smiley Cruizer Yippee Rolling Case $49.95

Tired of schlepping your kid’s luggage through the airport? Let ‘em ride it. This colorful Smiley Cruizer Yippee Rolling Case conveys both clothing and kids under 40 pounds.

www.luggagefactory.com

Along the same lines, the ZincFlyte suitcase scooter is perfect for kids on the go. Designed for ages two to eight, this hybrid is currently available only in the United Kingdom (for $78.00), but that's changing soon. Now, if only they made an adult version, we'd all be good to go.

Polaroid Snap Instant Digital Camera: $99.00

Remember Polaroid? If you do, you are likely not a millennial. But the younger crowd will certainly enjoy the instant gratification of instant photography. The Polaroid Snap is the perfect blend of an old-school Polaroid camera and modern, digital technology. Pictures can be stored on memory cards, or transferred to paper for 2 X 3 prints on the spot. While your 10-megapixel photographs won't be confused with those of Annie Leibowitz, the concept is instant fun.

www.polaroid.com

Walter + Ray Accessories

Arm Pillow $15.00

This airplane armrest cushion has a zippered compartment to store glasses, your phone, or other little odds and ends. Slip it over the arm rest, then rest your arm.

Bendy Flashlight and Tablet Stand: $10.00 Bendy may look like Gumby’s cousin, but he is actually a flexible device holder that flexes to cradle a tablet or cellphone. Flip the switch on the back of his head and he becomes a flashlight. Lay him flat and he’s a bookmark.   So versatile--our little Bendy Man.

SAFEGO

 $39.95

It’s the eternal question--what to do with your valuables when you want to take a dip in the ocean or the pool. Well, the SAFEGO is an answer. The lightweight, portable safe can attach to most secured fixtures, thanks to its flexible steel cable. The heavy-duty lock can be opened with a combination or a key.  Lock away your phone, keys, cash, shades, jewelry, and other belongings and then...go jump in the water.

Take Note: Seven Hotels Striking a Musical Chord

Hotels with Musical Themes is the topic of my most recent story for Shermans Travel.

7 Music-Themed Hotels that Rock

July 14, 2016 by Laura Powell

Posted in:

• Disney
• Amsterdam
• Bali
• Boston
• Budapest
• California

Backstage Hotel Amsterdam/Facebook

Music is striking a chord in the lodging industry — from the open mic nights at Hotel RL to in-room record players at The Redbury in Miami. But that’s only the beginning. For the music-obsessed, these seven hotels will make you feel like you’re with the band.

Jaz in the City

Jaz in the City, which opened in late 2015, is within spitting distance of Amsterdam’s major concert venues. But location isn’t the only reason this is the perfect Holland opus. The leitmotif of the lobby is quite harmonious, with coffee tables made from Marshall sound equipment and footrests reminiscent of drums. Lobby walls are jammed with photos and posters of famous musicians, and Rhythms Bar showcases local bands and DJs.

Courtesy Aria Hotel Budapest

Aria Hotel Budapest

The Aria Hotel Budapest is going for baroque. The fully restored 1870s building features decor inspired by jazz, classical, opera, and contemporary music. One suite is specially dedicated to Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. The theme is carried throughout the hotel, with a tiled piano key path through the lobby, music-inspired art installations, and a rare Bogányi piano. The hotel also has a director who curates local music experiences and a music library, which guests can listen to on in-room iPads.

W Bali-Seminyak

The first W Sound Suite at W Bali-Seminyak features a stylish, sound-proof space featuring a lounge large enough for the entourage. The main mixing room includes professional equipment from the likes of Pioneer and Moog, as well as a private vocal booth overlooking a tropical garden. Hollywood, Barcelona, and Seattle will soon be getting their own sound suites, designed in part by W’s North American music director, DJ White Shadow (best known for his producing work with Lady Gaga).

Backstage Hotel Amsterdam/Facebook

Backstage Hotel

Designed to accommodate touring musicians, Amsterdam’s BackStage Hotel is both hostel and hotel. Private and shared rooms (for up to five people) are black and white, accented by instruments hanging on the walls. Each chamber has an iPod docking station and bulb-lined theater mirrors. Guests can pick up one of the hotel’s guitars and play some tunes, or fake it while playing Guitar Hero at the bar. For good measure, the bar also hosts open mic sessions.

Courtesy The Verb Hotel, Boston

The Verb Hotel

The Verb in Boston is not a hotel for grammarians. The name is a play on the musical term reverb. The owners have converted an old Howard Johnson motel into a funky homage to the Boston indie music scene. Throughout the lobby are key pieces of pop memorabilia. A wood-grain turntable rests on the check-in counter, and front desk personnel help guests spin albums from a collection of Boston-related music. In the rooms, facsimiles of rock-themed covers of the city’s alternative newspaper, the Boston Phoenix, and silkscreen prints of rock stars line the walls.

Disney All-Star Music Resort

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort plays it a little more mainstream. The property pays homage to popular music genres, including country, jazz, rock and roll, calypso, and Broadway show tunes. A giant neon jukebox and oversize instrument icons are strategically placed around the exterior, and each room’s balcony is lined with musical notes. One pool looks like a piano and the other is shaped like a guitar.

Vietnam: War-Related Sites in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

VIetnam for Orbitz Blog

While the Vietnam War officially ended more than 40 years ago, it is still top of mind for many impacted by the conflict. But even for those born long after the war was over, a visit to some of Vietnam’s war-related attractions offers an important and moving history lesson. When visiting these attractions it is important, for Americans in particular, to realize the war stories will be told from the Vietnamese perspective, and may not align with a U.S. view of the era.

Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam during the war years, and the place from which Ho Chi Minh ruled. As a result, it was a hotbed of war-related activity.

Established in 1959, the Vietnam Museum of Revolution chronicles the country’s long fight for liberation. It covers the struggle against the French, the establishment of the Communist Party and the Vietnam War (or, as some Vietnamese call it, the American War). The beauty of the design of the 1917 French Colonial building contrasts sharply with the more than 40,000 artifacts contained therein.

Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison is better known by Americans as the Hanoi Hilton. That name was sarcastically given by American prisoners-of-war imprisoned there. The jail was originally built during French colonial days to house political prisoners. During the Vietnam War, the facility was a stockade for captured American pilots. Senator John McCain was imprisoned here, as were hundreds of other POWs. The part of the original building that is preserved contains some solitary confinement cells, interrogation rooms, and exhibits featuring an array of photographs, documents, and related vestiges.

Whether you are staying at the Sofitel Hotel Metropole or not, be sure to stop by this historic French Colonial inn to learn about its storied past. The Metropole’s Path of History tour takes visitors past more than a dozen display cases showcasing 100 years of renown, including memorabilia documenting the stays of visitors like Somerset Maugham, Charlie Chaplin and anti-war dissident Jane Fonda. Also on the tour is a visit to a claustrophobic bomb shelter built in the 1960s to protect hotel guests from air raids. The shelter was rediscovered several years ago and preserved to its original condition.

What is now dubbed Ho Chi Minh City was once Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. It is now the largest city in the united Vietnam. Its Vietnam War-related attractions are numerous and haunting.

Outside the War Remnants Museum

Located in the former U.S. Information Service headquarters, the War Remnants Museum focuses on the brutality of the conflict, told from the Vietnamese perspective. The outside grounds are littered with vehicles, artillery and bombs captured from U.S. forces. Inside, exhibits range from a collection of anti-war posters to disturbing photography exhibits highlighting the damage caused by Agent Orange and other war atrocities.

Once home to the South Vietnamese president, what is now called Reunification Palace is most famous for its noted images of Communist tanks storming its gates in April 1975, signifying, for all intents and purposes, the end of the war. Visitors can now tour the building, a time capsule of 1960s architecture and design. The clunker contains a mish-mash of plush staterooms, stark utilitarian war rooms and oddly-outfitted living quarters. Don’t miss the videos at the end of the tour, which provide additional historical detail.

Reunification Palace

A half-day side trip from Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels allowed the Viet Cong to establish a base close to the South Vietnamese capital. They did so by digging a 120-mile network of clandestine tunnels that functioned as underground cities. The tunnels were used as supply routes, living quarters, weapons caches, and hospitals during the Vietnam War. Tours of the tunnels, a two-and-a-half hour drive from the city, offer a comprehensive lowdown (double entendre intended).

How to Keep Cool and Avoid Heat Exhaustion While Traveling This Summer

Given this summer's record temperatures, this story written for The Orbitz Blog is particularly timely.

Steamy  Cambodia

The conditions were extreme. Cambodia was experiencing an unprecedented heatwave. Temperatures soared above 100 degrees daily and the high humidity made it feel more like 120. Due to a previous bout with heat exhaustion, I was being especially cognizant of drinking fluids and staying as cool as possible. Nonetheless, after eight days in the scorching heat, I succumbed and ended up in an emergency room in Phnom Penh with a case of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Think this can’t happen to you? Think again. Heat exhaustion is not an exotic phenomenon. It can strike anyone anywhere, from the humblest of wayfarers to superstar athletes—and with summer in full swing, the time to think about prevention is right now.

What are the contributing factors? It starts, of course, with heat and humidity (which, combined, make up the heat index). That alone can do the trick. But heat exhaustion may set in more quickly while traveling, exacerbated by factors like the dehydrating effects of plane travel, participation in strenuous, sweat-inducing activities and vacationing in high altitudes. Air quality also has an impact.

Dehydration often underlies heat exhaustion, but salt depletion can be an issue as well. Regardless of the underlying causes, the symptoms can include anything from headaches, flu-like symptoms, nausea or cramps.

To fend off the possibility of falling victim to it, consider these tips:

Hydrate: Drink more water than usual beginning a week out from your trip, particularly if it involves air travel. On location, drink water throughout the day. Better yet, as you hydrate, alternate between water and liquids taken with electrolytes. This strategy can help fend off both dehydration and mineral depletion.

Rest: Take it easy within 24 hours of landing after long-distance flights. Don’t be climbing mountains or scaling Great Walls on day two of your trip, especially in warm, humid climates.

Dress appropriately: Always wear a hat, lightweight clothing  and sunscreen. Also wear light colors, which don’t absorb the sun’s rays. Opt for cotton and other natural fabrics versus polyesters that don’t breathe.

Replenish: Carry electrolytes and water at all times. Bring along electrolyte tablets or oral rehydration kits from trusted outfitters like REI. To ensure liquids stay cool, consider buying an insulated water bottle. Longer-distance hikers might opt for hydration packs, which have built-in water reservoirs and tubes that allow you to sip with the pack on your back.

Invest in a Buff: Wear one of these versatile cooling scarves,  just like they do on Survivor. Better yet, get one with a SPF rating to further protect the oft-neglected neck from the sun. For more cooling effects, dip it in cold water before donning.

Look for warning signs: If you catch the symptoms early, you may be able to fend off full-blown heat exhaustion. If you start feeling queasy, stop activity immediately, head toward shade, loosen clothing and cool your body with ice or cold water.

If you have concerns, the best bet before leaving on a hot trip is to ask your doctor for his or her advice. Also, get travel insurance, which will cover you in case heat exhaustion leaves you high and dry.

Up and Coming Hot Spots with the Coolest Hotels in America

Here's my most recent story on hotel trends for Orbitz Blog. 

For years, many smaller American cities have flown under the radar. But with prices and hassles soaring in major metropolitan areas, tourists and businesses alike are rediscovering the appeal of the country’s smaller metropolitan hubs. The hotel industry is certainly taking advantage of this trend, developing these one-of-a-kind hotels in emerging hot spots:

Photo courtesy of the Graduate Hotel

The Graduate Hotel: Oxford, MS

Oxford, Mississippi has a long literary legacy, in large part due to the works of one William Faulkner and other artistic revolutionaries. Of course, over the years, the home of Ole Miss has also been known as being somewhat rebellious, albeit not always for the good. These days rebels of the more creative sort, as in musicians, visual artists and writers are finding inspiration in Oxford’s rich history and small town appeal. The Graduate Oxford takes on the town’s Southern preppy style, with subtle design touches that play up to local athletic, cultural and historic traditions. The Library Sports Bar pays homage to bookish traditions, as does the lobby, which is stacked with vintage reads. But worry not, this is not a stuffy place. Colorfully-patterned carpets, furniture and walls make the Graduate Hotel novel and fresh.

Photo courtesy of the 21c Museum Hotel

The 21c Museum Hotel, Bentonville, AR

Best known as the home of Walmart, Bentonville is rapidly becoming an Arkansas cultural capital. While only the 10th largest city in the state, the place packs an artsy punch. The 21c Museum Hotel reflects the city’s new zeitgeist. Located near the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the 104-room hotel is a cultural civic center and contemporary art museum in its own right. The gallery space showcases rotating exhibitions of regional and avant-garde artists while the guest rooms dazzle. Even the food here is art of a sort. The hotel’s restaurant, The Hive, is headed up by a James Beard Award semifinalist who serves up refined country cuisine. There are also 21c hotels in Louisville, Cincinnati, Lexington, Durham and Oklahoma City.

Photo courtesy of the Modern Hotel and Bar

The Modern Hotel: Boise, ID

Perhaps due to the fact that it’s the most geographically-isolated urban area in the lower 48, Boise, with a metro population larger than 600,000, has developed in a highly-individualistic way. The Boise way, which includes amazing recreational opportunities and a growing arts and food scene, is drawing folks in as never before. The Modern Hotel reflects the city’s development from rural backwater to metro hot spot. The inn has its origins in the not-so-modern days. During the Great Depression, a former sheepherder opened a Basque boarding house called The Modern in nearby Nampa. The granddaughter of that early hotelier crafted a new incarnation of the Modern out of a run-down Travelodge. Located in Boise’s au courant Linen District, some of the features include Japanese soaking tubs, walk-in rain showers, locally custom-made fabric headboards and bubble lamps. The Modern’s landscaped interior courtyard and its curved walnut bar are both places where locals like to mingle with out-of-towners.

The Yard at the Iron Horse Hotel | Photo courtesy of the Iron Horse Hotel

The Iron Horse Hotel: Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee is hopping, and not just due to its beer scene. Wisconsin’s largest city is transitioning from its Rust Belt roots into a center of urban cool. The Iron Horse Hotel is one extension of the trend. While the term “Iron Horse” once referred to trains, in today’s pop culture, it is more associated with the motorcycle. With the Harley-Davidson Museum just blocks away, hipsters meet hogs at this hot rod hotel. Originally built as a mattress factory in the early 1900s, the property opened as the Iron Horse in 2008 and is now considered by many to be Milwaukee’s best hotel. Unique touches are everywhere, including the Charles Dwyer Americana Flag, hanging in the lobby. Look closely—it’s crafted from 32 and a half pairs of jeans. Check out The Yard for live music or grab a gourmet bite at Smyth, one of Milwaukee’s top restaurants.

Photo courtesy of the Varden Hotel

The Varden Hotel: Long Beach, California

Long overshadowed by its neighbor to the north, Long Beach is undergoing a major renaissance. Downtown is being redeveloped with a range of modern buildings, including a sleek courthouse, luxury apartments, and retail and outdoor space. The Varden Hotel, dating back to 1929, sits in the middle of it all. When given historic landmark status in the 1980s, the property had fallen on hard times. But, just as Long Beach started reawakening about a decade ago, The Varden was bought, renovated and reopened. It’s now a European-style boutique hotel with nods to historic chic. For example, the check-in counter, the windows and railings are all retro originals. The property’s black and white landmark sign was recently restored to its original glory and at night graces the downtown skyline with red and blue neon lighting.

Photo courtesy of the Quirk Hotel

Quirk Hotel: Richmond, VA

The former capital of the Confederacy has risen again, but this time in a distinctly all-American style. Richmond’s recently-designated downtown arts and design district is filled with boutiques, galleries, street art and even tattoo parlors (Richmond is said to have the most tattoo parlors per capita in the United States). Richmond’s hottest hotel sits in the middle of it all. The Quirk Hotel is reminiscent of a Barbie dream house on steroids. The hotel was re-imagined from an Italian Renaissance-style building that originally opened as a high-end department store in 1916. A pink and gray color scheme runs from the high-ceiling lobby/restaurant area to the cozy rooms. Custom beds are made from the salvaged floor joists of the original building, and the hardwood floors are also largely original. The lobby features a massive work of art made from discarded coffee lids, while abstract paintings are showcased in guest rooms.

The Manners Manifesto: A (Not Emily) Post* on Press Trip Etiquette: PART II

With so many bloggers in the travel writing game, press trip invitations are on the rise. Sadly, so are bad manners. In Part 1, we covered the ABCs of press trip behavior. Now, it's time for the EF and Gs.

E is for Ew...as in "Ew, you stink":

A recent press trip reminded me to include this very important maxim in this piece. If you smoke, wear perfume, eat profuse amounts of garlic or otherwise reek, be aware that your scent stays with you. If you are in close quarters on a press trip, be it on an airplane or a minivan, realize that your secondhand aroma is likely off-putting to others in the group. 

F is for Food and Form:

• Always let your host know in advance about food allergies or other health restrictions. You make life very difficult for your hosts if you spring this information on them at the last minute.

I told my host well in advance--"no gluten for me."
As a result, I greatly enjoyed my Norwegian foods.

• If you plan to diverge from the schedule, let your hosts know well in advance.
• Do not expect the host to arrange the alternative plans (although they might offer to).
• Don’t diverge from the press trip to visit your Aunt Sadie. If Aunt Sadie demands a visit, add a day to the trip (at your own expense) and visit her then.
• Furthermore, never ever diverge from a press trip for a Tinder hook up. Yes, apparently, this is a thing. Remember, there are plenty of fish in the travel writer sea, and if you use trips for international matches, you may end up on the be naughty list.

G is for Good

  Bad behavior reflects upon your fellow professionals. Therefore, be good.  

•  Be on time.
•  Show up for activities.

•  Pay attention.
•  Don’t overindulge in alcohol, especially if it impairs your performance.
•  Don’t complain you don’t have enough free time for shopping or sitting by the pool.
•  Don’t be a prima donna.

We see you at the end of this
walkway shooting a selfie.

• Don’t spend all your time shooting selfies. Destinations want coverage of their attractions, and don’t need to have you self-photobomb every beauty shot.