The Lincoln Highway: Following The Main Street Across America

by Sean McLachlan on

Route 66 is often called “The Mother Road,” and a drive along it brings up all sorts of nostalgia for those simpler days when there was no app for that and nobody could call you while you were driving.

It wasn’t the first cross-country road, however. The Lincoln Highway, which we should perhaps call “the Grandmother Road,” was finished in 1913 as part of an ambitious project when automobiles were still in their infancy. As you can see from the map, it stretched 3,389 miles from New York to California and included 13 states in all.

Much of Lincoln Highway is now U.S. Route 30, and you can still drive along it. While it doesn’t have the aura and popularity of Route 66, a dedicated band of fans are trying to change that. The Lincoln Highway Association is gearing up for the road’s centennial next year with celebrations all along the old road. The association already has a great state-by-state guide to the Lincoln Highway online listing points of interest. The highway passes by dozens of national and state parks, sights of historic importance, as well as some important cities.

The Europeans are getting into it to, with a Centennial Tour by a hundred vintage vehicles that will be flown to the United States and driven along the entire route. The best way to see the United States is by car, after all!

Since it’s been largely bypassed by the Interstate, you’ll find lots of unspoiled nature as well as little old towns that seem lost in time. Old settler’s cabins sit lonely in the Nevada desert, and in Utah you pass ghost towns, while occasionally you can spot bypassed sections of Lincoln Highway meandering off into the wilderness, its surface cracked yet clearly visible after a century. Like on Route 66, some old businesses along the way have been lovingly restored to their early condition. Check out the old gas station in the photo gallery!

Map courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

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Road Test: Mixed Luck With Hotel Booking Engine Room 77

by Chris Owen on

UPDATED 05-01-2012

Not long ago, in Better Search, Blazing Fast, Tested, I tested hotel-finder Room 77 that claimed “blazing fast” search results. I was impressed. Going through the process of actually booking, that blazing fast speed slowed to a crawl and resulted in a less-than-ideal outcome.

Right after reviewing Room 77, I needed to book a hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for just one night later this week. The hotel I wanted was sold out as were many others during Fleet Week, a United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard tradition when active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week.

Putting Room 77 to test, the site again performed quickly, delivering a number of good results. One of those results was the Hilton hotel I wanted which was sold out. That got my attention along with a price that was 35% lower than normal rates at that hotel.

Locking in that price, however, required leaving the Room 77 site and dealing with one of their affiliated companies, the UK’s OnHotels. A first thought was “Hmm, maybe this is a consolidator site that looks for canceled space at hotels and picks it up at a bargain rate.” Then there were second and third thoughts of “…or maybe its a scam” and the standard “WARNING: NON-US SITE, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.”

I booked anyway and received immediate confirmation from OnHotels. On that confirmation were two reservation numbers that looked to be OnHotels internal numbers, neither one a number Hilton hotel would probably use. Not a problem here either, I made a note to check with the hotel directly if I did not get a Hilton confirmation number shortly.

Later that day I called the Hilton who said no reservation had been made. That was not a total surprise because of the time zone difference between here in Florida and the UK so we sent an email to OnHotels asking for the hotel booking number.

“I see you have charged my card for this reservation but the hotel has no record of my booking. Please provide the hotel booking number,” I wrote.

OnHotels replied back pretty quickly, considering the 6 hour time zone difference.

“It is perfectly normal that the hotel still does not hold your booking as the booking information is often sent later even if the space has been reserved, and the booking has been done just today. Therefore we are not surprised to read that your booking is still not with the hotel.

Your booking is fully confirmed and all the details will be passed on to the hotel very shortly.

We are checking with the hotel for their reference number, please keep in mind that this might take a bit longer.”

The next day, a phone call to the Hilton revealed that still no reservation had been made so back to email we went.

“Are there details available for this hotel yet? I need a Hilton Hotel confirmation number please.”

Onhotels again responded rather quickly:

“I have sent the request to the hotel yesterday, however also due to the time difference i do not have any reply as yet.”

OK, but now we’re starting to worry about OnHotels and what they might be doing. Another day passes and the hotel has no record of our reservation. Clearly, something is wrong here. In response to a third inquiry, OnHotels sends:

“I already have chased the hotel even today. As soon as they have inserted your reference number in their system they will provide it to us.

“Your booking has been confirmed, you do not need to worry.

I will contact you as soon as I have the reference number.”

And that is where we pulled the plug, canceling the booking and requesting a refund to stay within the cancellation guidelines of OnHotels which were much tighter than the average hotel. With OnHotels, the booking had to be canceled no later than five days prior to the stay. Odd, but clearly detailed on their original invoice.

Considering the slow response time of the whole transaction, I canceled the booking 7 days in advance, just to be safe.

That refund came back in a reasonable amount of time, less a 10% cancellation fee, a charge clearly defined in the original confirmation when bookings are made.

Since no booking had actually been made at the Hilton hotel, thoughts turned to “Oh, maybe this is how they make their money. Never actually make bookings, just offer a super low price that bargain-hunters can’t resist, dancing with them for a while then refunding all but the cancellation fee.”

A quick call to the credit card company launched a fraud investigation that will temporarily put those funds charged in cancellation back on the card used while they sort it all out.

Thinking “That’s too bad, it really was a fast hotel search” I sent off an email to Hotel 77, detailing the transaction.

I’m a big believer that great customer service is not the day in and day out operations of an organization but what they do when something goes wrong.

Hotel 77’s Mel Bolton responded in a couple hours:

“I am glad you got to test out the site, and I am truly sorry for the lackluster experience with booking and confirming your room. Room 77 is, at it’s core, a search engine – we’ve scoured the web for the best rates and deals. The majority of the time, the best deal is found and booked through Room 77 and we 100% back up our booking – we are committed to offering the highest degree of customer service and we take all issues, like yours, very seriously.

Like other search engines, in some cases, deep discounts can be found through lesser known channels, like OnHotels in your case. We want to provide the most choice and offer the widest range of rates possible so the consumer can make the decision of what rate and what provider best suits there needs.

Based on your input, we are reviewing OnHotels and will remove them from search results if they don’t meet our stringent partner criteria. We have already removed nonperforming providers and we carefully monitor all the providers that are in our marketplace to make sure they have the same commitment to customer service that we do.

If you have some time, I’d love to connect you with our VP of Marketing, Roger Wong – he can discuss how Room 77 works with partners and providers to provide the most rates and deals. And let me know if you’d like to rebook your stay – I’d be happy to get you in touch with Bryan Waters, who leads our Room Concierge team, and who can make sure you have a much better experience than the one you have had.”

Impressive. That was exactly what I had in mind for a response so I immediately replied “Absolutely. Your site is wonderfully fast and easy to use. This experience with OnHotels though was/is bad.”

That was last Thursday.

Today is the following Thursday and I have received no further response or contact from Room 77.

Once again we see that if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is; at least in the case of OnHotels. On Room 77 the jury is still out.

UPDATE 05-01-2012

Room 77 did get back with us later, were quite apologetic and sent along this statement:

“We take quality and customer satisfaction very seriously, and based on your experiences, we no longer feature OnHotels within our search. Our goal is to provide the best customer experience while also providing the most rates and the best deals, and we’ve removed any sites that provide a questionable customer experience. We’ll continue to monitor to make sure all partners of Room 77 adhere to the same strict customer service guidelines that we hold ourselves accountable to.”

Flickr photo by Anonymous9000

The MeetingLife Journal Project Brings Together Cultures Through A Notebook

by Jessica Festa on



You don’t always need to leave the country to connect with others from around the world. The MeetingLife Journal, a leather-bound book full of stories from people all over the world, began in Rome, Italy, on November 11, 2011. For the past three months, it has traveled to 11 countries, being sent to various YouTube personalities who have been writing their stories down in the book, as well as creating video responses to let others know where the journal is. Nobody is sure when the process will stop, or if it ever will.

After making its way through Europe, the journal is set to travel the United States. Who receives the notebook next is not pre-determined, so those who do are always surprised. While at the basic level it’s an art project – with Post-it notes, drawings and text – though on a grander scale the journal is a tool that connects people and cultures from all over the world.

Want to be a part of the project? Write a blog post or upload a video on the MeetingLife blog, for a chance to be voted for by the blog’s followers. To get a better idea of the project, check out the video above.

Mother’s Day Hotel Deals Around The United States

by Jessica Festa on

Want to do something special for Mom this Mother’s Day? Check out these U.S. hotels offering promotions, packages and programming for the holiday, to help plan a special weekend getaway.

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort
Dahlonega, Georgia

Located about one hour north of Atlanta, Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is a relaxing accommodation surrounded by the North Georgia Mountains. This Mother’s Day the property is offering a “Taking Care of Mom” package, which includes:

  • Champagne or sparking cider upon arrival
  • Half-dozen long-stemmed roses in the room upon arrival
  • Gourmet sampler basket with chocolates, tea and hot cocoa mix
  • One-hour massage for both Mom and her guest
  • Candlelight dinner in the Secret Garden Dining Room (when booked online)
  • Mother’s Day Feast in the Rose Garden Dining Room
  • Breakfast daily

Package rates start at $457 for two nights (Saturday and Sunday). Call 706-864-6456 or click here to book. The New York Palace
New York, NY

The New York Palace, a world-class hotel located in Midtown, is celebrating the special occasion with not one, but two packages. First there is the “Mother’s Day Morning Glory” package, which begins the day with a special chef’s breakfast in bed with a Mimosa or Bellini, coffee or tea, a seasonal fruit plate, pastry, Greek yogurt parfait, Brioche bread pudding and an egg white frittata with heirloom tomatoes, asparagus, artichokes and herbs. The deal also includes luxury accommodations, red wine and chocolate upon arrival, a gift basket from New York Palace Spa and a 20% off discount on a spa treatment or service.

The other package is a “Mother’s Night Out” package, which includes luxury accommodations, two cocktails and an appetizer in GILT Bar, red wine and chocolate upon arrival, a gift basket from New York Palace Spa and a 20% off offer for a spa treatment or service.

Packages are available through June 3, 2012. Rates start at $428 for both packages. Call 212-888-7000 or click here to book.

Mirbeau Inn & Spa
Skaneateles, New York

Located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York, Mirbeau Inn & Spa is celebrating Mother’s Day all month long with a lavish “Love Your Mom” overnight package. Moms will get:

  • Two nights of accommodation
  • Daily breakfast
  • Five-course wine pairing dinner for two
  • Limo wine tour for two
  • 100-minute FarmHouse Fresh Mother Glow’s Best treatment, with a sweet cream salt body scrub, hot body wrap of honey, aloe and live papaya fruit cells and a massage using floral shea butter with blood orange oil and live fruit cells
  • 100-minute treatment of choice
  • Two micro-fiber robes
  • Two-dozen roses
  • Chocolate covered strawberries
  • $200 Skaneateles Chamber Certificate for downtown shopping

Package is valid through the month of May, with rates beginning at $2,720 mid-week and $3,035 on weekends, based on double-occupancy, including taxes and gratuities. Call 877-647-2328 or click here to book.

Country Inn Bed and Breakfast
Fort Bragg, California

A charming B&B on the Mendocino Coast, the Country Inn Bed and Breakfast is offering two great packages for Mom this holiday. First there is the “Ultimate Wine Tour” package, with two nights accommodation, a full-day wine tour with gourmet lunch, sparkling wine, a cheese platter, bottled water, special winery discounts and dinner for two at the Mendo Bistro. There is also a “Mother’s Day Massage” offer, which gives Mom a 50-minute massage, two nights of accommodation and dinner for two at Mendo Bistro.

Rates for the “Ultimate Wine Tour” package begin at $606, and $347 for the “Mother’s Day Massage” offer. Call 707-964-3737 or click here to book.

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa
Lost Pines, Texas

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, a secluded 405-acre property on the Colorado River, is hosting an array of offers and programming in honor of Mother’s Day. For those looking to indulge at the spa, Mommy and Me pedicures are available for $125. Moreover, mothers golf free at Wolfdancer Golf Club. On the special day, the accommodation will host a Mother’s Day Brunch, including breakfast favorites and unique creations like smoked pork loin with house made Shiner Bock Mustard as well as a lavish dessert buffet. Additionally, many recreational activities for mom will be offered, like Mother’s Day card making, button making and mom-themed movies under the stars.

The buffet is $49 for adults, $24 for children 4-12 and free for children three and under. Call 512-308-4851 or click here to book.

Delamar Greenwich Harbor
Greenwich, Connecticut

This Mother’s Day, Delamar Greenwich Harbor, a luxury waterfront property, is helping mothers and daughters spend quality time together. The one-day package is offered every weekend in May, and features:

  • One night in a double room or two-bedroom suite
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Welcome gift from Saks 5th Avenue
  • Early check-in at 2:00 p.m. and late check out at 2:00 p.m.
  • Lunch for two in the onsite l’escale
  • Two 60-minute massages in the hotel’s Spa Suite
  • Two pedicures
  • Personal shopping session at Saks 5th Avenue with car service

Package available Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday through May, and start at $635. Call 866-335-2627 or click here to book.

The Shores Resort & Spa
Daytona, Florida

For mothers and daughters who want to have some fun in the sun this Mother’s Day, The Shores Resort & Spa is hosting a “Mother/Daughter Surf Camp” package. The offer includes two nights of accommodation, a private surf lesson for two, a 50-minute mother/daughter salt scrub and a 50-minute massage for two.

Packages start at $578 per room, based on double occupancy. Call 866-396-2217 or click here to book.

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa
Oahu, Hawaii

On May 13, JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa will host a celebratory event for Mother’s Day. Beginning at 11:00 a.m., there is a special champagne lunch buffet. Additionally, a concert by Na Hoku Hanohano award-winner Willie K, and a fashion show hosted by Hawaiian designer Mamo Howell will be part of the programming.

Tickets for the celebration are $85 for adults, $50 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for children under four. Room rates start at $299 per night. Call 808-679-0079 or click here to book.

Meadowmere Resort
Ogunquit, Maine

Meadowmere Resort, a popular hotel for gourmet vacations on Maine’s southern coast, is featuring an array of Mother’s Day packages this holiday. First there is the “Mother’s Day Weekend Dining” package, which includes accommodations, wine and cheese, Mom’s choice of dinner at one of the hotel’s three onsite restaurants and a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday morning. There’s also the “Mother’s Day Weekend Spa” package, featuring accommodations, a Swedish massage, mini-facial, holistic yoga session and wellness consultation.

Packages start at $179.95 for the “Mother’s Day Weekend Dining” package, and $199.95 for the “Mother’s Day Weekend Spa” package. Call 800-633-8718 or click here to book.

Arizona Biltmore
Phoenix, Arizona

The Arizona Biltmore, with its vibrant gardens and historic ambiance, is a great place for Mom to spend her special day. This holiday, the property is hosting numerous offers, from free-night offers to spa specials and Champagne brunches. First there is the 2-For-1 Mother’s Day offer, which gives guests who book a room during the week of Mother’s Day a second night free. Additionally, their “Like Mother Like Daughter” package includes an hour-long manicure and pedicure for two for $175. If Mom would like to spend more time in the spa, select treatments are 30% off, like the Dreamcatcher Aromatherapy Massage and the Restorative Anti-Aging Facial. Moreover, a Mother’s Day champagne brunch will be hosted in the McArthur Ballroom, with breakfast favorites, salads, carving stations, hot entrees and a rose for every mother. Reservations are required, and prices are $75 for adults, $35 for children 12 and under and free for infants. Another Mother’s Day champagne brunch with a different menu will be held in Wright’s at the Biltmore. Reservations are required, and prices are $95 for adults, $40 for children 12 and under and free for infants. At night, an array of Mother’s Day dinner specials will be offered throughout the hotel, with pre-fixed menus, drink specials and unique menu additions.

Two-for-one offer valid May 10 to 17, with room rates starting at $229. Use promo code “MOM” when booking. Call 800-950-0086 or click here to book.

Manhattan Project: The Rebranding Of Thai Cuisine

by David Farley on
Thai cuisine is not very good. That is, if you live in the United States and you’ve never been to Thailand and the only opportunities you’ve had to eat it are at one of the many mediocre restaurants that exist here.

The first time I ate Thai – embarrassingly in my mid 20s when I was living in Los Angeles for a few months – it was something of a revelation. The combination of sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavors all conspired to taste like nothing I’d ever eaten before. But the more I ate Thai and the more that I learned about it and talked about it with food-loving friends, the more I realized how average most of the Thai restaurants are in the United States – particularly in Manhattan where I’ve been living most of the last decade.


In New York City, we’ve had to travel to Queens to get decent Thai food. Which is fine but somehow the borough of Manhattan (not to mention the Bronx, Staten Island and Brooklyn) have escaped good Thai – at least until recently.
In the last few years, a handful of Thai restaurants (albeit more expensive and, often, serving elevated takes on the cuisine) have fired up their burners and are serving, for the first time, inspired fare.

Kittichai was one of the first. Then came Rhong Tiam, which earned a Michelin star and thus an acknowledgment that things were changing on the Thai dining landscape in Manhattan. And now there’s Lotus of Siam, the import from Las Vegas (which many foodies had dubbed the best Thai restaurant in the country), Ngam, Zabb Elee, Betel and Kin Shop, to name a few.


Manning the stoves at Ngam is Hong Thaimee, a native of Chiang Mai and a former model. Chef Thaimee prepares traditional Thai as well as Siam-inspired takes on American comfort food. She infuses lemongrass in a burger and tops it with shredded papaya, for example. Or she puts massaman curry in a pot pie and covers it, not with a pie crust, but with a piece of roti bread.

Thaimee said one reason why quality Thai never took off in Manhattan is because of its association with cheapness. “Thai needs to be rebranded,” she said. “People think Thai is spicy and cheap. It’s like the new Chinese food and I hope to help elevate it out of this stereotype.”

Another new Thai restaurant to open in Manhattan recently is Kin Shop, Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle’s homage to Thai cuisine. “I started working in the city around 2002 and the Thai food scene was quite weak. I’m not trying to be rude about it, but the only real spots to get decent Thai food were in Queens. Manhattan was just full of mediocre takeout spots.”

And what does chef Dieterle attribute to this trend in better quality Thai cuisine in Manhattan?

“As people raise their expectations and learn more about the food and culture they’ve probably wanted to get dishes that are more representative of what Thai food really is.”

Jay Cheshes, food writer and restaurant critic for Time Out New York, has a slightly different take on it: “Even the top Thai cooks in New York have long kept the best stuff to themselves, afraid the most fiery funky dishes were just too much for western palates. At places like Zabb Elee in the East Village, though, that’s started to change. And with all the New York chefs exploring potent Thai flavors all of a sudden there’s no excuse for making do any more with generic pad Thai.”