The Arrabelle has a built-in solution for golfers’ wives

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Golf addict? Instead of hoping for a 6 AM tee time at your local 18, get on a plane (flights are cheap, we may have mentioned a few times on Gadling), and take off for Vail, Colorado. The Arrabelle at Vail Square has put together a cool package – “Drive and Revive” – for golfers … with a little something for non-duffers who may be traveling with you.

Drop $399 a night to stay at this RockResort, and you’ll get more than just an upscale roof over your head. The personal concierge service will generally make your life easier when you’re on the road (wish I could dig this up at home …). Also, you’ll get a round of golf at the Red Sky Ranch Golf Club for every night you stay. In Vail for four nights – that’s four rounds of golf. You can get out there daily with no worries.

Well, there is one concern. If you have your wife or girlfriend with you, disappearing to the links for the better part of every day won’t go over well. The Arrabelle has built in a solution for you. Each night comes with a $150 spa credit. With massages and facials in play, you won’t get too much resistance when you pack up to go chase a little white ball for a few hours.

You won’t be missed.

Photo of the Day (5.30.09)

by Brenda Yun on


Add one more thing to my growing list of things to do before I die: be a contestant on the Cash Cab. What could be more quintessentially New York than an endless row of New York taxi cabs? This photo, brought to us by ultraclay, not only captures the perfectly organized chaos that is New York City street life, but he brings these yellow cabs lined up in a row into vibrant life.

Those of you like myself who are dying to get on the Cash Cab might utilize these strategies when hailing a taxi in the hopes of finding the show’s host, Ben Bailey, sitting behind the wheel:

  • Stick to midtown — more specifically, Columbus Circle: Only rarely does the Cash Cab pick up passengers in uptown or downtown.
  • Look like a tourist: Most Cash Cab contestants are out of towners.
  • Flag a van: 90% of New York cabs are sedans, and the Cash Cab is a van.
  • Rub your rabbit’s foot: Really, flagging the Cash Cab just takes a lot of luck.

If you have some great travel shots you’d like to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day!

Orlando wants a smile from you

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau is looking for an adventurous smiling couple. The winners will not have an easy task. Over 67 days, they will have to experience every attraction in Orlando – more than 100 in all. This includes everything from theme parks to alligators. Every day, the couple will use social media outlets and traditional interviews to communicate their experiences to the world.

“There are clearly a lot of frowns throughout the world because of the economic downturn,” said Danielle Courtenay, Orlando CVB Chief Marketing Officer. “We want an engaging pair of people who you can’t help but smile along with as you follow their Orlando tale of some of the best vacation experiences in the world. You don’t have to have a perfect smile to apply – just a ‘smiling’ personality and outlook on life.”

“We have also decided to search for a pair because a big part of what makes you smile in Orlando is sharing the experience and creating memories with someone special,” Courtenay explained.

The team accepted for this adventure, as part of Orlando’s “Orlando Makes Me Smile” campaign, will live in a two-bedroom condo in Downtown Orlando (which I find to be the best part of town) and receive $25,000 to cover their living expenses back home. Over the two-month-and-a-week assignment, they’ll ride rollercoasters, hang gide, swim with dolphins, get rubbed in massages, wrestle gators and swing a few golf clubs.

For more information and to apply, go to VisitOrlando.com/67DaysofSmiles. For real time updates follow Orlando on Twitter at Twitter.com/VisitOrlando or become a fan of 67 Days of Smiles on Facebook.

DHS biometric program begins in Atlanta and Detroit

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Non-U.S. citizens flying from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport will now have to leave their fingerprints as they leave the country. The objective, of course, is to prevent the use of forged or otherwise fraudulent documents, curb identity theft and apprehend “criminals and immigration violators.”

“Collecting biometrics allows us to determine faster and more accurately whether non-U.S. citizens have departed the United States on time or remained in the country illegally,” said DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. “The pilot programs in Atlanta and Detroit will help us determine and develop standard procedures for use at airports across the country to expedite legitimate travel and enhance our nation’s security.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will be taking the fingerprints at the boarding gate in Detroit, with Transportation Security Administration officers doing the honors at the gate in Atlanta. The program is expected to run through early July at these two airports. If the test run goes well, it will be implemented across the United States within the next year.

Photo of the Day (5.29.09)

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Flickr user ultraclay! submitted this ultra-chaotic shot from New York City’s Theater District, where thousands of tourists flock (sometimes all at once) to see the best that Broadway has to offer. The feeling of total sensory-overload in this photo captures exactly what every first-time visitor to New York experiences.
Want your pics considered for Gadling’s Photo of the Day? Submit your best shots here.