Red Cross
Help Haiti Now
Yele
H.E.L.P. – Haitian Education & Leadership Program
Haiti Children
Help for Haiti – sponsored by the White House
UNICEF 1-800-4UNICEF

Get involved! Its very important!

My sister and I arrive in the NYC to celebrate. I’ve always wanted to be in the midst of the confetti and noise as the ball drops in Times Square. Or at least that’s what I thought!! (Too cold! My sister says its the closest she ever got to death.) We get to Laguardia — wait, wait, wait. No luggage. We really only have 2.5 days in the city, hey they’ll call us when it gets in right? Night 1 – no luggage, Night 2 – no luggage, Morning 3 – no luggage, fly home in the same ole ‘ish.

So, what happend to our stuff?

Well, its probably up for sale at the Unclaimed Baggage Center (UBC) in Scottsboro, Alabama.

99.9% of all unclaimed luggage is returned to its rightful owner. A portion of the remainder is bought site unseen and sold in the 40,000 sq ft. UBC, which sells approximately 1 million items annually.

So, what’s inside the bags? Below is a list of some of the most valuable AND unusual items found in the unclaimed luggage.

UNCLAIMED FINDS:
Full Suit of Armor – The suit turned out to be a replica of a 19th century original.

Collection of Ancient Egyptian Artifacts – An old Gucci suitcase was opened to reveal ancient items including a shrunken head, a mummified falcon, a burial mask, and scarabs, all dating back to 1500 B.C. The items were later sold by Christie’s auction house back in the ’80s.

$250,000 piece of Naval Equipment – A Naval guidance system for a F16 fighter jet was discovered among lost luggage, and surprisingly, was never claimed. The UBC turned the quarter-million dollar GPS back over to the Navy.

5.8-Carat Solitaire Diamond Ring – This platinum-set ring was found at the bottom of a sock in the corner of a plain-looking suitcase.

Barbie stuffed with Cash – After purchasing a Barbie doll for her little girl, a woman was startled to find $500 in cash, rolled and stuffed into the dolls body. Thankfully, her daughter pulled the head off promptly, revealing the bills.

Rattle Snake – Whether it slithered in while no one was looking, or it was purposefully packed, a live rattlesnake was found by workers unpacking unclaimed bags.

40.95-Carat Natural Emerald – The gem measured ¾ of an inch, and was found tucked away in a small plastic bag, stashed in the corner of a piece of luggage.

NASA Camera – The camera, which was specially designed for the Space Shuttle, was returned to the government agency.

Suitcase of Designer Dresses – In the late ’90s, UBC workers discovered an entire suitcase filled with Versace dresses, straight from the runway.

Expensive Art – What the store tagged and sold as a $60 painting turned out to be an original artwork, valued at $20,000.

All that’s interesting, but what I really want to know is has anyone at the Unclimed Baggage Center seen a green hoodie with Oscar on the front?? It was my fave.

Game Info:
Miami, Florida
Dolphin Stadium
Sunday, February 7th
Kick-Off 6:00p.m. EST

“The Coveted Game Day Ticket”
Expensive as Hell!
At least right now – season ticket holders, freinds and family of the team, and industry people are LUCKY with pricing.
If you have to go to stubhub.com or razortickets.com tickets are starting at about $1800 and are up to about $8,000. Thats ridiculous.
I have freinds that went to the SuperBowl in Phoenix 2008, bought tickets from a scalper for $500 each (they should have known then) and noe of the 5 tickets worked when they got to the gate. Bottom line: do not trust ticket scalpers for these games!! If it feels unbelievable, it is.

Fly Me There
Round-trip Friday February 5th and Returning Monday February 8th…
From the middle of the country:
St. Louis $349 on American Airlines

East Coast:
New York City (JFK) $497 on American Airlines

West Coast:
Los Angeles $609 on United

South:
Houston $536 on American Airlines

American Airlines is rocking out right now!

Lay My Head
There are many many options available in Miami. Personally, I think if you’re going to Miami, no matter what the reason, you should stay on South Beach. But, if you have to pay $600 to fly from L.A. maybe thats not an option so below is a wide span of options.

Holiday Inn Miami-Doral Area
(Recently renovated)
3255 N.W. 87th Ave.
$172 per night

The Wave Hotel
(Beach front, on the end of the strip out of traffic, my PERSONAL favorite South Beach stay)
350 Ocean Ave.
$340 per night

The Catalina Hotel and Beach Club
(4 Star, luxury resort)
1736 Collins Ave
$499 per night

Ground Transportation
If you’re staying on South Beach, you probably really don’t need this, its a very congested area and parking is horrendous. Take a cab to the game!

But if you simply must, after looking through lots of websites, I say just go with Hotwire.com. They have cars available in all categories right now, from Comact $22 per day to a Convertible at $85 per day.

Party, Party, Party
Updates to come!!
(In other words I’ve searched and come up with nothing…maybe I’m too early, who knows.)

You can keep yourself up to date with all things Super Bowl 2010 at the South Florida’s Host Committee 2010 website

If you’re planning on traveling down…take me! Please. (<– Bold & Italicize!)

#1 LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Bellagio
Already known as one of the most elegant and glamorous hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, the Bellagio raised the bar this year when it decked its lobby halls with some eye-popping holiday scenes. Replete with reds, golds and greens, a tremendous sparkling tree is flanked by oversized ornaments and stacked giant presents; giant rocking horses and flying reindeer play alongside cheerful snowmen. The water in the famous Bellagio fountains dance to holiday tunes, offering a delightful and free source of entertainment for all hotel guests.

Bellagio - Las Vegas Strip

#2 ORLANDO, Florida – Gaylord Palms
How often do you get to spend your day at the pool under the blazing sun and your evenings walking through a winter wonderland? At Orlando’s Gaylord Palms, guests are experiencing ICE! This walk-through holiday attraction was hand-carved from nearly 2 million pounds of ice and kept at a chilly nine degrees to ensure the ice remains solid. Adorned with cushy parkas, guests can wander about this magical mystery land alongside ice monuments and frosty scenes, swoosh down slick ice slides, hunt gnomes in a hidden holiday game and marvel at the majestic Christmas tree. With 4.5 acres of decorations, ICE village offers guests the best of both worlds: winter in paradise is truly a possibility.

#3 NEW YORK, New York – The Peninsula New York
One of the most elegant hotels in the world, The Peninsula New York sits right on Fifth Avenue near Central Park. It shines throughout the holidays as the grand entrance comes to life with twinkling lights and beautiful garland throughout. A 25-foot-tall ornately decorated tree graces the hotel’s Palm Court, letting guests immediately enjoy the holiday spirit. Staff offers a playful gingerbread-decorating class for kids and invites guests to purchase and hang ornaments on the tree, with proceeds benefitting the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Mere blocks from the windows at Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as Rockefeller Center, Peninsula guests can take in all the holiday festivities the city has to offer.

#4 CHICAGO, Illinois – The Drake
Re-creating a traditional holiday scene, the elegant and majestic Drake Hotel, sitting at the top of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, welcomes guests into the warm lobby with a grand tree decked out with the most iconic Christmas imagery: Santa, a nutcracker, tiny soldiers and a train circling Santa’s village. Banisters and staircases are adorned with garland, while the Palm Court glows with tiny white lights during high tea, which features a harpist and carolers through Dec. 25. Warming things up even more, the Drake invited children from Mercy Home, a long-term residential home for troubled youth, to light the tree during the annual Festival of Lights on Michigan Avenue.

The Drake - Chicago

#5 LOS ANGELES, California – Millennium Biltmore
Harkening back to a bygone era, the stately elegance and Old World-charm of the Millennium Biltmore creates an atmosphere of sophistication and class in Downtown Los Angeles. Its lavish Victorian holiday décor is a refreshing departure from modern holiday design and a move toward traditional, classic Christmas cheer. The Los Angeles landmark features lively afternoon tea and live carolers, in addition to a grand New Year’s Eve gala. Guests can further get into the holiday spirit by donning a pair of skates and hitting the city’s ice rink, located right across from the Biltmore, which sponsors the icy fun.

Other hotels in the Top 10 are:
6. Oahu, Hawaii – Sheraton Princess Kaiulani
7. San Francisco, California – The Fairmont
8. Miami, Florida – Fontainebleau
9. Washington D.C. – Gaylord National
10. Lana’i City, Hawaii – Four Seasons Resort Lana’i

This year, why not say NO to the Wintertime Blues? Last year, I’m sure most of us were feeling the recession pinch and planning a trip anywhere was the last thing on our minds. The airline industry also suffered from the busted economy last year with high oil prices and fuel surcharges leading to higher airfares. According to Bing Travel, those who are planning to fly this holiday season can expect to pay 18% less in airfare compared to less year. What a difference a year makes.

Now is definitely the time take advantage of all the wholesale travel deals that are out there. Airlines, hotels, cruise ship operators have been dishing out deeply discounted specials this Fall, in hopes of enticing travelers to get back to doing what we do back….jet-setting. I don’t know about you…but I like the sound of that!

However, even with the plethora of cheap travel opportunities available…the savvy jetsetter still plans and keeps her budget in mind (gotta save for the next trip!).

Some great ways to get more bang for your buck are:
1. Pick unpopular days and dates for the lower fares – The day after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Avoid Fridays and Sundays. We did this when we traveled to Italy the day after Thanksgiving.
2. Compare fares between the major airport and its alternative. MIA or Fort Lauderdale? LAX or Burbank?
3. Book EARLY! Start thinking about where you would like to spend New Year’s Eve now…not the day after Christmas.

Do you already have some winter travel plans? Skiing in Switzerland or sunbathing in Antigua? Disney World or Disneyland? Visiting family in Chicago or seeing friends in D.C? Start thinking about it now…and enjoying later. And of course…tell us what your plans here on our website or on our new Facebook Fan Page or join our Globetrottin Community.

This 72-hour Fare Sale allows guests traveling 375 miles or less to get tickets for just $25 one-way!
For travel between 375 and 549 miles, the one-way fare is $50.
For one-way travel between 550 and 999 miles, fares are $75.
Any one-way flight over 1,000 miles will cost $100.

Remember that this sale is for 72 HOURS ONLY! It ends Oct. 29th, 2009 at 11:59p.m. PST. Travel is restricted to Dec. 2 – Dec. 16, 2009 and Jan. 5 – Feb. 10, 2010. Travel is valid everday except Sunday and SEATS ARE LIMITED!

The last time they had a sale this great was in 1996 in celebration of their 25th Anniversary. With deals like this, they are sure to be around for a long time to come.

Nationwide Flights on Sale from $85 R/T. Orbitz and AirTran have teamed up to offer discounted fares to/from 50+ cities all the way into November, but you must book by 3/5.

$89 & up – 5-Star Hotels on Sale in Top Cities Nationwide. Indulge in New York, Vegas, San Francisco, Boston, more Hotels.com

50% OFF 2nd Person on All-Inclusive Club Med Escapes. Half off 7-night stays at U.S. Club Med.

Car Rentals in Cities Nationwide from just $8.99/Day. Pick from brands like Budget, Thrifty, Hertz, Alamo, more at CarRentals.com

$135 & up – Upscale Condo Rentals on Hawaii’s Big Island. Choose from stays in Kona, Keauhou, and Waikoloa Outrigger Hotels & Resorts

$48* & up – Huge Denver Flight Sale on United, Each Way. Travel to/from 100+ cities across the U.S. and Canada into April on United Airlines

$139 & up – Carnival Cruises up to 30% OFF + FREE Upgrades. Exclusive offer on sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, and Mexico Cruises Only. I know I said Domestic, but can you beat that?

Apparently, what I naively thought was a U.S. domestic economic downturn is worldwide. Even tapping the pockets of those in the land of luxury. A fellow blogger writes about how construction in Dubai has slowed down, credit card debt is sky high, and the Dubai International Airport is home to over 3000 abandoned cars belonging to people who have fled the country.

Since all the residents or those on visa are leaving, maybe they have some hot vacation deals! Maybe not.

A little heads up for next year.