Get $100 in Birthday Bucks from Joie de Vivre

by Amy Chen on

Joie de Vivre, a chain of 35 boutique hotels in California, is making it a little easier to justify planning a birthday getaway this year. The Birthday Bucks deal knocks $100 off a two-night stay on or within seven days of your birthday. At the Galleria Park Hotel in San Francisco, for example, weekend rates start at $109. With this b-day discount, it’s almost like getting the second night free.

The credit, which is taken off your total bill when you check out, can also be used to offset room service, dinner at the hotel restaurant, or spa treatments. To sweeten the deal, the hotel staff may also surprise you with a gift, such as a cupcake, dinner appetizer, or glass of wine. Even kids under 18, if accompanied by a parent, can redeem the $100 Birthday Bucks.

But there’s a catch: the discount is per room per stay, not per birthday per stay. So twins who share a room would have to content themselves with one $100 discount, unless of course they booked separate rooms.

Details: Book by Jan. 31, 2011 with the promo code BUCKS. Travel between Feb. 1, 2010 and Jan. 31, 2011. For a list of the 35 properties, check out jdvhotels.com.

Looks like it’s never too early to start dropping hints about your birthday.

Flea Market Finds: Brooklyn

by Amy Chen on

Finding unique souvenirs these days can be tough. Instead of picking up yet another mug, try scoping out a local flea market.

In New York, for example, the Brooklyn Flea Market has moved indoors for the winter so you can take your time sifting through another person’s junk in search of your treasure.

I recently spent a rainy Sunday afternoon at the old Williamsburgh Savings Bank combing through the racks and tables. Presentation is everything–items that would otherwise look drab seemed more appealing when neatly organized and labeled. Among the vintage jewelry and clothing, I spotted some retro travel bags ($15), including this blue tote from the posh Fontainebleau resort in Miami.

Days later, I’m kicking myself for not buying that bag. I contacted the hotel to see if they might sell any similar totes. A spokesperson tells me that while the hotel only has newer versions right now, they’re looking into bringing back the design of this bag, estimated to date back to the 1950s. Until then, I guess I’ll have to look on eBay.

Details: One Hanson Place at Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays now through March 28.

Tip: After browsing in the main hall, head downstairs into the vault to sample the food: Asia Dogs sells beef, chicken, or veggie hot dogs with unexpected toppings like kimchi, Japanese curry, or barbecue pork belly (from $4).

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Ski deals on Super Bowl Sunday: lift tickets from $19

by Amy Chen on

If cheering for the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts on Super Bowl Sunday just doesn’t do it for you, how do $19 lift tickets sound?

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best days to score ski deals, according to Liftopia.com. The online ski discounter has rounded up 44 deals for Super Bowl XLIV, including the $19 special from Canaan Valley Resort in West Virginia. Considering a full-day pass on a Sunday normally costs at least $49 for adults, that’s more than 60 percent off at this resort.

With most of the nation huddled in front of a TV on Feb. 7, you’ll also encounter shorter lines at resorts such as Lake Tahoe’s Bear Valley ($35, or 41 percent off), Colorado’s Crested Butte ($44, or 49 percent off), Utah’s Snowbird ($57, or 21 percent off), or Idaho’s Sun Valley ($55, or 33 percent off).

This year, the game doesn’t kick off until 6 p.m. EST, so it’s possible to ski or snowboard first and then catch the game. With these discounts, Super Bowl Sunday is shaping up to be more than an excuse for chips and chicken wings (though I’m going to guess that those will taste even better after wiping out on the slopes).How it Works: Weekend ski passes tend to be more expensive than weekday rates, but these Liftopia rates were created especially for Super Bowl Sunday. Tickets must be purchased in advance (the cutoff is 11:59 p.m. Saturday Feb. 6). Resorts can limit the quantities, and the deals may sell out. In order to get the lowest prices from participating resorts, Liftopia doesn’t allow changes, refunds, cancellations, or exchanges. “This is much like buying a discount airline ticket,” Liftopia co-founder Evan Reece tells me via e-mail. “You get a better price by agreeing to not be able to cancel or change your flight. As with a Priceline or Hotwire, customers get a deal by trading flexibility for savings.”

Bargain hunters are taking note: last year, Liftopia had 186 percent more ticket redemptions on Super Bowl Sunday than the Sunday before the big game, according to Reece.

Save 35 percent on a Timbuk2 wheelie bag

by Amy Chen on

I first wrote about the Timbuk2 Checkpoint wheelie when it came out in Dec. 2008. The San Francisco-based company is now adding new colors, which will become available online starting Feb. 5. In the meantime, you’ll find that some of the original versions have been marked down by 35 percent. The 22-inch carry-on in brown with orange detailing, for example, is now $163, down from $250. The company hopes to clear that inventory by June.

I loved the Checkpoint so much that I ended up buying one for a family member as a Christmas present just last month. I don’t normally pay retail if I can help it, but I see luggage as an investment so I happily forked over the $250. Tip: Like many retailers, Timbuk2 often has free holiday shipping, which saved me $10 back in December.

Now that the bag is on clearance, I’ve just ordered another one for my mom. She had called me last week because she’s going to Taiwan in March and was shopping around for a new carry-on bag. Did I have any suggestions? Well considering that I salivate over luggage the way some people collect purses, I sent her links to some new lightweight luggage. To my surprise, my mom liked the boldness of the Timbuk2. No basic black, she told me. And at under 8 pounds, I know my mom won’t have trouble lifting the bag into the overhead bin by herself. So you see, the company that earned its reputation for producing durable bike messenger bags is expanding its appeal.

As for the new colors debuting next week, you can expect a green Checkpoint bag with lime trim, as well as one in gray (from $250). Expect to add about $10 for shipping.

Big Island Hawaii: A budget travel guide

by Katie Hammel on

Adrift in the Pacific, Hawaii is expensive. It costs more to get there, it costs more to ship goods there. It just costs more. Looking at the websites of the many luxury hotels on the Big Island, you might think you can’t afford it. But you can visit the Big Island of Hawaii on a smaller budget. Here are a few tips to help you do it.

Forget the luxury hotels.
At $300, $500, or even more per night, staying in a luxury hotel will add up quickly. Try VRBO or Home Away to score a rental home on the cheap, or Couchsurf and stay with a local for free. For cheap accommodations, try a backpacker’s lodge like Arnott’s where private double rooms are $70 and dorm bunks are $25. You can even camp at ten locations around the island for a permit fee of $5 per adult per night.

If you still want some degree of luxury without the accompanying price tag, stay at a hotel off the beach. A one bedroom cottage with kitchen at Nancy’s Hideaway near Volcanoes National Park will run you just over $100 per night. If you want to be closer to the action, check out the Kona Tiki Hotel, a mile outside of town. It’s definitely “no-frills” but costs only $72 per night and is a short taxi ride from the beach. Across the island in Hilo, the Hilo Bay Hostel offers dorm beds for $25 and private doubles for $65, one block away from the ocean.

Use the public beach.
Your hotel will be the biggest cost of your trip to the Big Island. Save money here and you can spend more on activities, experiences and meals.

Of course nothing sounds more luxurious than walking from your private lanai just a few feet to the beach. But the ocean is the same whether it fronts a hotel beach or not. In fact, many luxury hotels share the beach with public parks. Hapuna Beach State Park, for example, is considered one of the Big Island’s best, and you don’t need to stay at the Hapuna Prince Beach Resort to enjoy it. On many of Hawaii’ public beaches, you’ll find food vendors, picnic areas, restrooms and showers. In both Hilo and Kona, there are several beaches you can easily access even without a rental car.

Drive yourself. . .
There are countless tour operators offering tours all over the island – to Volcanoes National Park, through the Waipi’o Valley, and up to the heights of Mauna Kea. But you don’t need a tour guide to see any of these sights. And you don’t need a fancy 4-wheel drive vehicle either (except for visiting the top of Mauna Kea). Sure, tooling around the island in a convertible or open-topped Jeep would be fun, but really the cheapest, most basic compact car will do.

If you plan wisely, you can actually drive around the entire island, making several pit stops for sightseeing, in one day. If you are leaving from Kona, stop at the Waimea Farmer’s Market to fuel up and buy snacks for the road, then spend the morning at Parker Ranch, the island’s oldest cattle farm. From there you’ll pass through the verdant forests and rolling hills of the Hamakua coast to Hilo. Stop for a view of ‘Akaka Falls and the continue on the two hour drive to Volcanoes National Park. Just past Hilo, you can also stop for a tour of the Mauna Loa macadamia nut factory, Monday through Saturday from 8:30am to 5pm.

It’s easy to drive yourself through Volcanoes National Park without a guide. Just stop off at the visitor’s center first to get a lay of the land and a map and to learn about the day’s conditions and any road closings. The cost for the park is $10 per vehicle for seven days, but really you can see most of the Park in a few hours. Driving down to Puna, where the hot lava hits the ocean, will add a few more hours to the journey.

From Volcanoes National Park, you can head back the way you came or continue around the island. If you do, be sure to stop at Volcano Winery for some free samples (from 10am to 5:30pm every day) of sweet, fruity wine made from ingredients like guava and macadamia nut. Venture down to South Point, the southernmost spot in the US, and then on to Green Sand Beach. As you come back around the southern end of Kona, you’ll find yourself in coffee country, where signs every few miles beg you to stop off for a coffee plantation tour and tasting.

Be sure to bring a few CDs with you if you plan on making the drive all the way around the island. From Volcanoes National Park to south Kona, you’ll be lucky to find a single radio station. Be careful driving at night on the island – you may be surprised how dark it is in areas with no streetlights – and don’t drink and drive.

As you make your way back to Kona, detour to Mauna Kea just in time for sunset. Once it’s dark, you’ll find that you are in one of the best spots in the world for stargazing. The mountain’s elevation, plus the lack of light pollution on the island, make for an exceptionally clear sky.



. . . and then ditch the car for a few days.
If you are staying in the towns of Hilo or Kona, you really won’t need a car every day. Most shops and restaurants will be within walking distance and while you do need a car to get out and explore the island on your own, you really won’t need one to get around in town, so save money by renting a car only for the days you will need it. Get a little exercise while you get around by renting a bike from Kona Bike Rentals, where rentals start at $15 a day for adult bikes.



Stock up at the farmer’s markets and eat on the cheap.
In Hilo, the Farmer’s Market is located on Mamo Street and Kamehameha Avenue and is open all year round, every Wednesday and Saturday, “from dawn ’til it’s gone.” In Waimea, the market is located in the center of town, along highway 19, and is open most of the day on Saturdays. In addition to sweet Portuguese Bread, creamy macadamia nut pesto goat cheese, and gigantic breadfruit, lemons, and avocados, you can get freshly prepared treats like spicy huevos rancheros, gooey sweet Nutella crepes, and sinfully rich glazed cinnamon rolls.

For the best beer on the Big Island, head to Kona Brewing in Kona. Take a brewery tour (daily at 10:30am and 3pm) or just settle in for some good pub grub and tasty beers. Pints aren’t super cheap at $5, but the Pipeline Porter, made with 100% Kona coffee, is worth the price tag. Appetizers are reasonable at $7-12 and delicious and huge large pizzas (which can easily feed three people) are $16-26 and come with toppings like Thai chicken, Andouille sausage, and shrimp. Grab a growler of your favorite beer for $22 to stock in your hotel room. Buy it from 5pm – 7pm and save 20%.

This trip was paid for by the Kohala Coast Resort Association, but the views expressed are my own.