FabSearch – A website for the out-of-the-know

by Annie Scott on

Do you ever read a review of some random restaurant in a national publication and think “gosh, if I ever go to Boise, I should totally eat there?” Some people I know even keep files for this kind of thing with newspaper and magazine clippings, and my friend Josh keeps a spreadsheet.

I’m lazy. What do I do? I go to FabSearch.com.

Then, I click on the random city I’m headed to for the wedding, or the story, or the Eiffel Tower (big cities like Paris are on there, too), and recent articles about hot places to stay and places to eat from local and national publications pop up! It’s like having a friend in that city who lays around and reads magazines for you.

You can totally wow your friends with this wealth of knowledge. You could be all “Oh, I read about it in the Financial Times,” and if they tried to call your bluff and checked the Financial Times, you’d be right, even though you’re too lazy busy to read it.

Check out the site – I looked up my hometown of Minneapolis and the recommendations were all pretty good!

Southwest Announces Fares and Schedule for Minneapolis/St. Paul

by Josh Lew on

Southwest Airlines recently announced its schedule and fares for its service between Minneapolsi/St. Paul and Chicago Midway. The first flight will take off on March 8th, 2009. The announcement of fares is bound to create a bit of buzz for Southwest in the Twin Cities. Here’s why: The current price of a one-way airfare between MSP and Chicago is $426. Southwest’s lowest price will be $69 one-way (21 day advanced purchase required). The best round trip deal from the airlines that currently fly the route (Northwest/Delta and American) is well over $300. The math reveals that Northwest and others have some soul searching and price cutting to do in order to stay competitive on the route.

And, since Southwest also announced 8 daily flights, it appears that there will be plenty of seat avialible for those who want to give the proverbial finger to the big boys and save some cash in the process. When service launches, Southwest will only be flying the one route between MSP and Midway. However, from Midway, Southwest flies to 47 cities nationwide.

[Thanks Rick Seaney]

Who Wins and Who Loses in Delta-Northwest Merger?

by Josh Lew on

Gadling has been closely following the merger between air travel giants Delta and Northwest Airlines. The marriage of the two carriers was recently approved by the Department of Justice. But what does this mean for the people on the ground and in the air? Aside from seeing new color schemes on the staff and aircraft, there are all those frequent flier miles Northwest patrons have been saving. Jamie recently wrote about what to do with them. Customers stand to pay higher prices when the merger takes hold. Delta will be in a more dominant position than before. That usually means higher prices.

But what about the staff of Northwest Airlines? Here in Minneapolis, strikes by Northwest employees have been commonplace over the past few years. On the positive side, the merger will mean that Delta, which has recently been more stable than Northwest, will be in control. But job cuts are probably coming. Employees may find themselves cut from the company because their position has become redundant. Northwest will most likely see job cuts at their hub in Minneapolis, while Delta’s second tier hub in Cincinnati will lose out to Northwest’s Detroit base. So the airline’s employees will be working for a more stable company, if they can survive the job cuts. Because Delta has the upper hand in the whole process, most watchers expect Northwest workers will bear the brunt of the lay-offs.

[source]

Southwest Rescues Twin Cities from Northwest Monopoly

by Josh Lew on

The Twin Cities have enjoyed fleeting affairs with budget airlines in the past. AirTran provided dirt cheap flights between MSP and Chicago (as low as $59 one-way) for several years. When they left, fares rose considerably. For many people flying out of Minnesota, Northwest is the only game in town. A search on the major booking web sites last week turned up fares of over $500 between MSP and O’Hare. In short, Northwest has travelers trapped in a corner and seems intent on extracting as much money. Sporadic service by budget carriers like Sun Country has done little to alter the trend of high prices. But a deal between Twin Cities Int’l and Southwest Airlines will bring some significant change to the air travel market next year.

Minneapolis has been courting Southwest for some time now. The flirtation got hot and heavy earlier this year, but it took until now to iron out the details. The deal will make Minneapolis the envy of mid-sized markets across the US currently held hostage by a single major carrier.

What exactly is Southwest going to bring?Southwest will bring competition that will completely change the air travel game in the northern Midwest. Southwest is known for its cheap fares and frequent special offers. In order to compete, Northwest and others will have to drop fares. The first Southwest flights from MSP will be to Chicago-Midway (8 per day). From Midway, the airline flies non-stop to 47 cities. Perhaps the plane change will not be a turn on for convenience freaks. But for budget travel aficionados, deals like $59 from Chicago to Detroit and $127 to Vegas are hard to pass up, especially when similar routes now cost three or four times that. In addition, Southwest does not charge for extra checked baggage like Northwest currently does.

Minnesotans will have to wait until next spring for the first Southwest jet to take off. Flights will depart from the MSP’s Humphrey Terminal, a smaller terminal located behind the airport’s main Lindbergh terminal. But, it will be worth the wait for many. As Tom Parsons, owner of bestfares.com, recently told the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Southwest saw high prices…they could come in and drop your prices like a rock.”

Three Things the Press Coverage of RNC Didn’t Show You about the Twin Cities

by Josh Lew on

I’ll admit, I was a bit excited that the Republican National Convention was held in Saint Paul. Not for any political reasons, but because the Twin Cities (where I’ve lived on and off throughout my life) might get a bit of positive press while in the national spotlight.

But it was not to be. Downtown Saint Paul became a “Green Zone” with most residents and visitors forced to remain outside. Things were noticeably tense elsewhere around town as well. The news coverage of events outside the Excel Energy Center was focused on the widespread protests and the heavy handed response of the police. That’s not good press for the cities’ tourism industry.

Trust me, most autumn days in the Twin Cities are quite pleasant. There are no men in helmets spraying mace and tear gas indiscriminately. Usually, Saint Paul’s finest are busy enjoying the stereotypical pastry, accompanied by the appropriate hot beverage. As it should be. Here is what the coverage of the RNC didn’t show you about St. Paul and Minneapolis.

1. They didn’t show you a theater scene that goes well beyond Garrison Keillor’s snooze-inducing A Prairie Home Companion. In fact, Minneapolis has more theaters per capita than any other place in the US, except New York. On a given weekend, there is everything from a big budget Broadway-style show to several experimental works to performances of classic American plays.
2. Prince isn’t the only musician in town. The Purple One just started getting AARP Magazine, but the next generation of talent will continue to heat things up. Underground hip-hoppers Atmosphere have started a scene that has turned into something heavy on music and lyrics and light on thuggery (call it rap for people who don’t like rap).
3. Sure, there is the Mall of America. It’s what Minnesota is most famous for, besides the accents in the movie Fargo. But it’s the coffee shops, neighborhood restaurants and lakes of South Minneapolis that really feel like an urban vacation spot.

So there. The Twin Cities are a nice place to visit. Just give them a miss next time a political convention comes to town.