Flying on American? Use this 10% off code

by Grant Martin on

If you’ve been recently suffering from the aforementioned high airfares that George highlighted this morning, this should provide some solace. American Airlines is giving away free 10% off coupon codes at Century in the Making.

By voting on four of the best football moments in the last century, each visitor to the site (with a unique email address) earns a code with which they can discount future travel. Votes can be cast four times over the duration of the promo, once per each category (High School, College, Special, Professional.)

Not a fan of football? Simply pick four random choices and press vote — the 10% code will still be sent to your email address.

The discount may be used for ticket purchases made between March 1, 2010, and May 31, 2010, for travel between March 1, 2010, and May 31, 2010.

Free macarons in NYC on March 20

by Amy Chen on

March 20 isn’t just the first day of spring. In New York, it’s also Macaron Day, where at least 11 bakeries across the city will be handing out free macarons.

As www.macarondaynyc.com notes, macarons are the “new cupcake.” What’s so tasty about macarons? For starters, the classic French pastry feels less indulgent than a cupcake, but the flavors like caramel, coffee, ginger, pistachio, raspberry are sweet enough for any sugar fix.

New York’s first annual Macaron Day coincides with the fifth annual Jour du Macaron in Paris. So far, participating shops in Manhattan include Bouchon Bakery in Columbus Circle and Macaron Cafe, a sweet little find in the Garment District that sells its namesake treat for $1.95 a piece.

You know you’ve found a good macaron when the candy-colored confections are crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside (gotta love that buttercream or ganache filling).

Details: Tell the participating bakery you’re there for Macaron Day. One free macaron per customer; quantities are limited.

I know I’ll have a hard time walking out of the bakeries without being tempted by all the other treats.

Forgetting to earn miles when pre-ordering the iPad

by Amy Chen on

I was amused to read that on Day 1, about 120,000 iPads were sold on “a product that 99.9% of purchasers haven’t touched or for that matter, even seen in person,” CNN reports.

I’m embarrassed, but not for the reason you’d expect. On Day 2, I pre-ordered the 3G version of the iPad, due to start shipping in late April. In my eagerness to get my hands on the tablet, I committed a rookie mistake: I forgot to access the Apple Online Store through United Mileage Plus Mall.

For some reason, online shopping is the one mileage-earning opportunity that I often overlook. I’ve even gone as far as bookmarking the Mileage Plus Mall page in hopes it’ll remind me. But no, I forgot — again.

After buying the 64GB model ($829) and a case ($39), my total came to $945.05 with taxes. I’m kicking myself because had I remembered to log in first with my frequent-flier account, I would’ve earned 945 miles toward my United account. (The Apple Online Store lets you earn one mile per dollar).

If I end up buying a dock for the iPad or a wireless keyboard ($69), I’ll try to remember my own advice. Feel free to remind me.

Airline buys competitor’s cheap seats so you can’t

by Grant Martin on

You have to hand it to Climber Sterling, a Danish low cost carrier. When they found out that their competitor, Norwegian Air Shuttle was launching a massive fare sale, instead of letting consumers go out and buy the dirt cheap tickets they scooped them all up. Using a series of fake names and a lot of keyboard stokes, the airline was able to purchase over 650 seats, successfully preventing hundreds of travelers from getting in on the deal and in all probability, sending some business back to Sterling.

It’s a clever trick, but highly noncompetitive and kind of low, and the airline’s CEO officially apologized to its competitor, saying that the employees acted independent of the company’s knowledge. It’s worth noting that two of the airline’s board members were also in on the operation, so one wonders how sincere that apology was.

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A slice of culture via the Hong Kong Tram

by Grant Martin on

It’s no secret that Hong Kong has some of the best public transportation in the planet. Land, sea, or air, you can bet that it’s going to be clean, new, inexpensive and well maintained, from the recent airport on Lantau island to the fast and furious MTR slithering like tentacles through the islands. Better, most of it is tied together by the solid Octopus RFID system, letting travelers on ferries, buses, trams alike use the same versatile card to pay for any fare, or even a snack at the local 7-11.

Routes and times are listed in both Chinese and English, passage is frequent and one leaves the train station with a sense of efficiency and accomplishment rather than shaken with the din of a recent assault on the senses.

Another facet of the Hong Kong public transportation system, the tram, offers a unique immersion into Hong Kong culture. Run on a similar rail-and-wire system to San Francisco’s, Hong Kong’s trams are a skinnier, taller version of their western counterparts with dark, varnished wood interiors, large glass windows and awe inspiring views around the perimeter.

Running through a broad swath of Hong Kong island, the tram only run on a few routes, but riding the double decker cars is a sensory experience. Along Hennessey Road, the cars crawl from stop to stop, pausing at lights and stations to let millions of passengers circulate around and through the stationary beast like termites through a log. At one stop, shoppers mob a crosswalk and disappear around a corner into the local megamall or Goods of Desire, a sea or black hair, dark suits and silent movement as the signals blare on. At another stop, an outdoor market teems with passing tourists and locals, while across the street a brightly lit vendor sells sheets of dried fish, eel and duck skin.

Smells waft through the open glass windows, and if one is quick, an arm, head or camera can hang out the window and peer up the perspective of the car, a jungle of Chinese culture from the second floor perch of a Causeway Bay-bound tram.

Make no mistake, these aren’t tourist devices engineered to make a buck off of a saucer eyed visitor. These trams play a critical, real role in Hong Kong Island culture, ferrying commuters, athletes, workers, parents, children, locals and tourists alike. Were one so inclined, its even possible to rent a special party tram to cruise the streets at night with whatever food and beverage you provide.

Tram stops are scattered across the backbone of commercial northern Hong Kong Island, and with or without an Octopus Card, fare is only 2HKD ($0.26) to ride. The voyage is worth a thousand times the price.