From Dawn Til’ it’s Gone: Hilo Farmer’s Market is a must-visit

by Kendra Bailey Morris on

Whenever I travel, I make a point of hunting down the local farmers market. I’m obsessed with them. Whether I’m nibbling fresh-from-the-oven baguette in Southwest France, chomping down on a grilled sausage sandwich topped with Walla Walla onions in Washington State, or noshing a big plate of pork ribs in French St. Martin, I’ve found that the best way to get a true taste of what your destination has to offer is to start with the market.

And let’s face it. Local markets are cheap. For a quick lunch on the fly before site seeing, the local farmer’s market can be your money-saving friend. I’ve sampled platters of homemade paella piled high with fresh mussels and clams for a meager three dollars, crunched tacos de carne asada at a buck a piece, and dug into bowls of conch fritters washed down with icy Heinekens for under $5 total. Market food is tasty, often incredibly so. Boasting fresh, local ingredients carefully tended to by local food artisans, farmers, cheese makers and bakers, how can one go wrong?

If you’re a cooking fiend like I am (and especially if your accommodations include a kitchen) there’s no better way to spend a morning than piecing together the ultimate dinner by filling up paper bags with exciting foodstuffs like fresh figs, free-range duck eggs, bison tenderloin or artisan-made truffles. For traveling foodies, the farmer’s market is our candy store (a really big, super-fresh, uber-healthy candy store) just waiting to be plundered.

One of my all-time favorite markets is the Hilo Farmer’s Market on the Big Island of Hawaii. Located in Hilo’s historic district, the Hilo Farmer’s Market has grown considerably since its humble beginnings back in 1988, when there were only four farmers selling their goods. Today, the market boasts over 200 vendors who hock everything from gingerroot to bongo drums.
Taking place every Wednesday and Saturday from “dawn til’ it’s gone”, the Hilo market is a busy, bustling place. While local crafts, clothing and artwork are a big hit, the ultimate star is the food. Exotic fruits beckon hungry travelers, where local papaya can be snagged three for a dollar. Jack fruit, lychees, white pineapple and Chinese longan fruits are in abundance as well.

Locally grown vegetables are a cooks’ dream and include such delights as hydroponic lettuce, bok choy, Maui onions and bitter melon. Hawaiian specialty products round out the offerings and include Kona coffee, Portuguese bread and jars of homemade lilikoi butter.

If you happen to get hungry while shopping (and trust me, you will) there’s a variety of food available to enjoy on the spot or take away. Reflecting the many cultures which make Hawaiian cuisine so varied and utterly fascinating (Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino and Portuguese) you can sink your teeth into just about anything. Japanese bento boxes featuring traditional sushi as well as local specialties such as Spam musubi are offered alongside Vietnamese spring rolls, Filipino-styled empanadas, pad Thai, Peruvian tamales and Hawaiian lau lau (pork wrapped in taro leaves). If all of this shopping and eating makes you thirsty, buy a green coconut and have the vendor hatchet it open. Stick a straw in it and drink away the rest of your afternoon.

Hitting the Hilo Farmer’s Market is an absolute must when traveling to the Big Island, especially if you’re planning to visit the many nearby beaches that dot the island. A picnic basket filled with Hawaiian sweet bread along with a few Portuguese sausages will certainly make for an afternoon of tasty beach time.

–Kendra

Megabus $1 fares still available for this fall

by Katie Hammel on

In August, we announced that Megabus would be releasing an extra 50,000 $1 fares for travel between September 14 and November 19. If you weren’t able to jump on the deal then, you aren’t out of luck. The low-cost bus service has just announced that is still has plenty of $1 fares available for travel this fall on select dates and routes.

Even if you can’t score a $1 seat for your trip, you may still end up paying far less for a seat on the bus than you would for a plane ticket. For dates I searched in November, a ticket from Chicago to Detroit was $20 per person, round trip. I’d say that beats the average $160 round trip flight ticket. To book the deal, use the promo code HOTDEAL at checkout.

Nativo Lodge offers New Mexico State Fair Package

by Katie Hammel on

New Mexico’s State Fair kicked off Friday and to celebrate, the Nativo Lodge is offering a special package. For $129 per night, families of up to four people will receive accommodations (with one king or two double beds), daily breakfast, four one-day passes to the Fair, and one parking pass.

The Nativo Lodge offers spacious rooms decorated with Native American touches. The property features a pool and Jacuzzi, free (and reliable) wi-fi, free parking, and a weekday Happy Hour reception. Rooms with breakfast normally start at $119 per night, so if you plan to visit the Fair, this is a good deal.

The New Mexico State Fair runs through September 27 and costs $7 per day for adults. The Fair showcases Native American, Hispanic, and African American cultures, and includes live music performances, livestock competitions, horse shows, and a rodeo. The Fair is held in northwest Albuquerque, less than 10-minutes by car from the hotel.

To Italy and back for under $800

by Annie Scott on

Every once in awhile I catch wind of a deal so good, I think I might just take advantage of it myself — this is one of those deals.

It seems like it costs $800 just to breathe lately, but you can actually get to Italy and back for well under that! The deal is from TourCrafters, and for just $696, you can get airfare from New York on Alitalia — including fuel surcharges — and four nights in a three-star hotel (“The Florence Special”). For $799, you can stay in the four-star Hotel Kraft.

Other super cheap TourCrafters specials to Italy include Rome from $709 and glorious Venice from $734. The packages are for trips between November and the end of March and don’t include taxes, but those prices are pretty fantastic. And they also include full buffet breakfasts. Know what else is fantastic? Italy.

The temperature in Italy is in the 60s (Fahrenheit) during those months, which means while you probably won’t be baking in the sun, you’ll have perfect weather for sight-seeing, museums, and eating copious amounts of pasta.

And that, my friends, is better than breathing. Reservations must be made by October 30: 1-800-482-5995.

Travelers put JetBlue all-you-can-fly deal to the test

by Katie Hammel on

When JetBlue announced its All-You-Can-Jet Pass in August, many frequent flyers scrambled to purchase one before the airline pulled the plug on the popular promotion. Those who didn’t have much flying planned let the deal pass them by. And others decided to view the offer as a challenge – a reason to fly as much as they possibly could over the course of the month for which the Pass was valid.

Two of those travelers are Clark Dever and Joe Dinardo, who will take 49 flights in the 31 days between September 8 and October 8. They’ll visit 29 cities – spending 12 hours each in city – sleeping on planes, showering at the gym, and relying on friends to meet them in New York with fresh clothes every few days. They’ll also be blogging about their adventures at Twelve Hours in a City.

Jennifer Milano also took advantage of the Pass, and created a website to help other All-You-Can-Jetters connect, share their stories, and help each other out with places to stay and travel advice. Another traveler, Greg Krause, is using his Pass to help raise money for a charity. He’ll be visiting 24 cities and collecting money for a school in Zambia that his parents created. The money will be used to fund the purchase of a vehicle that will bring supplies to the school. Krause is documenting his travels and accepting donations on his website, 30 Days on JetBlue

If you weren’t able to drop everything to see how much you can fly in 31 days, at least you can follow along with the adventures of these non-stop flyers as they push the limits of the All-You-Can-Jet offer.

[via CNN]