Twenty New Year Foods and Traditions Around the World

We found this at The Daily Meal at Yahoo Travel:

Twenty New Year Foods and Traditions Around the World

Before the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, people everywhere ring in the new year with celebratory food and drinks alongside family and friends. How we celebrate, though, depends on where in the world we are on the last day of the year because New Year’s traditions differ from country to country. But no matter where it’s celebrated, New Year’s is always welcomed with traditional food and drink.

Here in the United States, the beginning of a new year is celebrated with champagne toasts at midnight. In Estonia, it’s traditional to eat seven, nine, or 12 meals on New Year’s Eve, with part of each meal left unfinished for the spirits of ancestors who visit the house that day.

Germans celebrate the new year with jam-filled donuts and a mulled wine drink called feuerzangenbowle. And people in Scotland participate in the tradition of "first footing" on New Year’s Day, bringing gifts of shortbread, a black bun, and whisky to a neighbor’s house.

However you celebrate, there are plenty of ways to say "Happy New Year!" with food and drink. Read on to see New Year's food and drink traditions around the world, from Argentina to Japan to Wales.

On New Year’s Day, Argentineans eat beans, following the belief that eating beans will help them keep their current job or find a better job in the new year.

For good luck, Austrians serve roasted suckling pig on New Year’s Eve — which they call Sylvesterabend— and also decorate their dinner tables with little marzipan pigs. Pigs represent progress and prosperity in Austria as well as in other cultures, including Cuba, Hungary, and Portugal, where they also serve pigs on New Year’s Eve. To drink, Austrians sip on a red wine punch, mixed with cinnamon, sugar, and other spices, and give a toast to Saint Sylvester.

Unmarried women like to play games on New Year’s Eve in Belarus to predict who will marry in the new year. In one game, a pile of corn is set before each woman, then a rooster is let go. Whichever pile of corn the rooster feasts on first determines who will be married first. In another game, a married woman hides different items, one being bread and one being a ring, around her house, and her unmarried friends try to find them. Whoever finds the bread is said to marry a rich husband, and whoever finds the ring will marry a handsome one.

People in Denmark and Norway celebrate the new year with a dessert called kransekage, meaning "wreath cake." It is a tall, cone-shaped cake with many rings layered on top of one another. The cake is made with marzipan and is often decorated with ornaments of flags and firecrackers and a bottle of wine or Aquavit in the center. Another tradition, throwing dishes on a neighbor’s doorstep on New Year’s Day, is believed to guarantee many friends in the new year.

Some Estonians eat seven, nine, or 12 meals on New Year’s Eve, believing that with each meal eaten, they will gain the strength of that many men in the new year. Part of each meal, however, is left unfinished for the spirits of ancestors who visit the house on New Year’s Eve.

French New Year's is celebrated with a traditional meal of goose or turkey, oysters, foie gras, and champagne.

Once the clock strikes midnight and fireworks have been set off on New Year’s, Germans enjoy a traditional treat of jam-filled, and sometimes, liquor-filled, donuts called "Pfannkuchens" in Berlin and "Berliners" everywhere else in Germany. Sometimes, a donut may contain a practical joke, such as mustard instead of jam, which is considered by some to be bad luck. Like Austrians, Germans also dine on marzipan pigs for good luck on New Year’s Eve — which they call Sylvesterabend, meaning the eve of Saint Sylvester. A traditional drink consumed on New Year’s Eve is " feuerzangenbowle". To make the drink, warm mulled wine is mixed with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel. A large, cone-shaped piece of sugar is soaked in rum, placed in a holder above the wine, and set on fire. Then, the sugar caramelizes and melts into the mulled wine. However, toasts at midnight are not given with this traditional drink, but instead with champagne.

Symbolizing birth and re-growth in the new year, in Greece an onion is hung on the front door on New Year's Day alongside a pomegranate (which is hung on Christmas). Later in the evening, a meal of roast lamb or pork is eaten, and an extra place is set at the table for Aghios Vassilis, or Santa Claus.

On New Year's Day, Italians feast on the traditional dish of cotechino e lenticchie , which is savory pork sausage containing "lo zampone," or the hoof of the pig, and paired with lentils. The hoof is considered to be a symbol of abundance and lentils are believed to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year.

 

Just before the clock strikes midnight, people in Japan begin the new year with a bowl of buckwheat noodlescalled toshikoshi soba, which are known as "year-crossing noodles." Other traditional foods eaten on New Year's include kuromame (sweet black beans), kazunoko (herring roe), kobumaki (rolled kelp), rice cakes, and shrimp.

 

With each chime at midnight, Mexicans eat a grape, representing a wish. A Mexican sweet bread called Rosca de Reyes, which is baked with a coin or charm for good luck, is also eaten. And whoever gets the slice with the coin or charm is believed to have good luck for the year. Salted codfish, warm tequila punch known as ponche, and fried fritters are a few other traditional New Year’s foods. 

 

People in the Netherlands ring in the new year — or what they call Oud en Nieuw, meaning "Old and New” — with sweets. Oliebollen, which are fried donut-like pastries that are filled with apples, currants, and raisins and sprinkled with powdered sugar, are served along with apple beignets, apple turnovers, and champagne.

In the Philippines, round shapes, which represent coins, are believed to symbolize prosperity in the new year. So Filipinos decorate their dining tables with all kinds of round fruit on New Year's Eve.

At the stroke of midnight, Polish people dine on pickled herring— which is plentiful in Scandinavia — believing it will bring a year of prosperity and bounty. Herring is often eaten with a midnight smorgasbord of smoked and pickled fish, pâté, and meatballs.

On New Year’s Eve, Russians decorate a Christmas-like tree, which they call "Novogodnaya Yolka" with sweets along with a bright star at the top. The tree is kept up until Jan. 14.

At midnight, Scots celebrate New Year's, which they call Hogmanay, with the tradition of the First Footing, in which a dark-haired male aims to be the "first foot" to enter a neighbor's house, bringing gifts of shortbread, a black bun, and whisky to toast the new year. The "first footer" is believed to have good luck in the coming year.

 

Just as Mexicans do, with every chime of midnight marking the new year, Spaniards eat a grape and make a wish.

 

On New Year's Eve, Swedes serve rice pudding with an almond hidden inside. It's believed that whoever finds the almond will receive 12 months of good fortune in the new year.

 

Americans celebrate New Year’s with a champagne toast at the stroke of midnight.

 

On New Year's morning, children in Wales are given skewered apples covered with raisins and other fruit. Bread and cheese are also commonly given as a gift.

 

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And after that champagne toast at the stroke of midnight,remember Excelsior Limousine is there to provide your transportation home in one of our town cars,

SUVs or limousines.  Happy 2014 to everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magic Reindeer with Kaleidoscope Eyes

There’s Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and then there are the reindeer in the Arctic that have eyes that change color with the season. Around Christmas the eyes of these special reindeer turn from gold to blue to help them cope with the harsh conditions at the top of the world.

Need a ride? Santa’s got reindeer to pull his sleigh. You’ve got Excelsior. SUVs, town cars and limousines. Just call 800 420 4252 for your reservation.

Bob Hope Airport. Thanks For the Memory...bership Points?

Bob Hope Airport is doing something new. They have a loyalty program. Members get one airline mile or two hotel points for every dollar spent shopping, eating or parking at the airport—and at almost 200 participating airport vendors nationwide. It’s called the Thanks Again Customer Loyalty program which includes Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, United ,US Airways and now Southwest. Also participating are Hilton Hotels and Hotel Amarno Burbank.  Travelers can enroll free at www.thanksagain.com/BUR or by texting FLYBUR to 82257 by using a credit or debit card. Even if travelers are enrolled in American Express, MasterCard or Visa cards, they can get additional miles/points when they shop or eat at airport sites.

Bizarre Travel

 We found this at Yahoo Travel

7 Bizarre European Tourist Destinations

Mental Floss
By Theodoros II

1. MEDIEVAL CRIME MUSEUM, GERMANY

The charming medieval city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, located in the Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany, has become a tourist hot spot. But one of its chief attractions is decidedly not charming: the Medieval Crime Museum , which is dedicated to the horror of the Dark Ages. It’s full of creepy exhibits and instruments of torture, including the Schandmaske—a mask of shame made for public humiliation and ridicule. Each mask is designed to fit its victim’s crime (one mask on display even has a muzzle shaped like a pig’s snout). There's also a torture chair for bakers who sold undersized loaves of bread and a spinning Catherine wheel that victims were strapped to during public execution.

2. PETRIFIED FOREST OF LESBOS, LESVOS, GREECE

Greece's Petrified forest of Lesbos has been declared a protected monument of nature. The protected zone covers an area of 150,000 acres and includes hundreds of fossilized conifer trunks and fruiting trees. Volcanic materials blanketed the forest more than 20 million years ago, which caused it to become petrified. Now, as the volcanic material erodes away, the beautiful colors and patterns of the stone tree trunks are exposed.

3. LIGHTHOUSES FOR RENT, CROATIA

Croatians have taken the modern-day hostel and transformed it into a unique experience with their rented lighthouses , which stretch along the Adriatic coast from Istria to Dubrovnik. For only $55 to $85 a day, visitors can spend the night in a private lighthouse on an isolated island. But the stay definitely isn't as glamorous as it might seem: Visitors report that the sheets are changed only once a week, and tourists need to bring their own water and supplies if they want to avoid drinking the reservoir water.

 

4. AVANOS HAIR MUSEUM, TURKEY

Thirty years ago, one of Chez Galip’s friends left town for good. Before leaving, the woman left him a lock of hair for him to remember her by. So the Turkish potter and artist created the Avanos Hair Museum under his pottery shop in Cappadocia. Since then, most women who visit the museum leave locks of their hair—labeled with their addresses—behind. The museum is filled with more than 16,000 hair samples, which adorn every surface but the floor.

5. DRACULA’S CASTLE, TRANSYLVANIA

Vampire lovers who find themselves in Transylvania might want to swing by Bran Castle, which is marketed as the home of Prince Vlad of Wallachia, aka Vlad the Impaler, the man who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. Located in the village of Bran on the border of Transylvania and Romania, the castle was the second-most expensive property in the world and valued at $140 million, according to a 2007 Forbes article.

6. CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, UKRAINE

At the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, daring tourists who aren't afraid of a little radiation can learn every detail of the Chernobyl nuclear accident and its effect on those who lived and worked around the area. Visitors will see a nuclear reactor, the ghost town of Pripyat, and the “red forest”—where nuclear radiation caused surrounding pine trees to turn a reddish orange. There is also the Chernobyl Museum in Kiev.

7. MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS, ZAGREB, CROATIA

Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić first conceived the idea of the Museum of Broken Relationships  when they combed through their collection of tokens and gifts they had exchanged during their relationship. They decided to exhibit them and asked their friends to contribute their own collections. Over the years, they created a huge collection of items donated by divorced couples. Lingerie, toothbrushes, clothes, wedding dresses, and dental floss are among the items on display in the museum.

At Excelsior Limousine we are happy to provide ground transportation to the airport for your travels to bizarre destinations. Need a town car or and SUV? We’ve got you covered.

Christmas Markets Around the World

From Yahoo Travel/The Daily Meal

Christmas Markets Around the World

Beginning in late November and running throughout December (and often into the new year) some of the most enchanting events take place across the world — Christmas markets. Now, we’re not talking about flea markets in Podunk, USA, that feature plastic snow globes and tacky glittered ornaments to put on your fake Christmas tree; we’re talking elaborate candlelit displays, gourmet baked goodies and mulled wine, and artisanal craftspeople that’ll have you feeling like you stepped through a time portal into a scene from centuries past, where the magic of Christmas feels real, and the scenery and soothing scents are guaranteed to uplift your spirits no matter what your religious convictions may be.

These Cristmas markets, also known as Holiday Markets, Christkindlmarkts (the spelling of this varies from city to city) or Weihnachtsmarkts, are based on a tradition that started way back in the late Middle Ages in German-speaking parts of Europe — a time when decorations and orna ments only came in handmade form from talented artists. Traditionally, these markets were held across Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, South Tyrol, and Alsace, but today these spirited celebrations can be found all over the world.

Unexpected places, such as Sapporo, Japan (which got into the mix because Munich is its sister city), and Quebec City now take part, turning sections of their cities into winter wonderlands you’d have to see to believe. Even spots in the United States, including New York, Chicago and Philadelphia, have put their own spin on the tradition, some of which invoke the ritual of incorporating a Christkind into the program, à la Nuremberg, Germany’s original market.

What is a Christkind, you ask?  While it literally translates to "Christ child" and it was imagined by many as a little boy, when it comes to these markets, the Christkind is an angelic woman with long, flowing blond locks topped with a gilded crown, dressed in a robe of white and gold, who is responsible for reciting the customary prologue to commence the festivities. At some markets, you’ll find the Christkind schmoozing with guests, spreading holiday cheer, and even reading Christmas stories to children.

If you find yourself in any of these cities during the holiday season, make a point to explore a Christmas market to see the lights, trees, and tinsel, smell the pine and spiced wine, and gawk at the gorgeous pieces of art and antiques on display and for sale. You’ll be able to score eclectic gifts for your whole network, and no matter how Grinch-like you may naturally be, you’re pretty much guaranteed (at least) a momentary flashback to your former, childlike self (if not a full-on regression to a stuttering, awestruck tyke at the sight of Santa Claus sitting in his cushy red chair.

Excelsior Limousine will be happy to give you a ride to the airport in one of our luxury town cars or SUVs to visit any of the above cities to indulge in holiday festivities.

 

New TSA PreCheck Applications Go Live

This from Budget Travel:

New TSA PreChecks Applications are Live

Okay, so the phrase "The new TSA PreCheck application form went live this week!" may not be quite as hot as, say, "So sorry, there's no room in coach, would you mind if we bump you up to first class?" But if you're not one of the 25 million airline passengers who have already used PreCheck to zoom through security (with your shoes, belt, and coat on and your laptop safely tucked away), it's time to sign up!

Read the guidelines carefully and be prepared to share your name as it appears on your identification documents, the date and location of your birth , contact info, physical description, and to answer questions about your past (such as criminal record, history of mental illness, and any changes to your name). Next step is to bring your application to an enrollment site, where you verify citizenship, show ID, and get—yup—fingerprinted. The good news is that TSA plans to open 300 such application centers. The bad news is that only centers in New York, Washington, and Los Angeles will be open by year's end and only one—at Indianapolis International Airport—is currently open. (Insert government-shutdown joke of your choice here.) But once you are enrolled, the TSA reports that PreCheck is available at more than 100 airports nationwide.  

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With Excelsior Limousine you'll have a relaxing ride before the stress of security checks at the airport. We've got town cars, SUVs or limousines for all of your ground transportation needs.  

Research Habits of Men and Women. TMI?

A study shows that half of all American travelers rely on smartphones to research holiday travel plans. Where they research travel plans is another story. It depends on gender. More women tend to do their research in bed. More men do their research in the bathroom. TMI?

Speaking of smartphones…did you know Excelsior Limousine has its own APP? Book your town car, SUV or limousine using your phone. We don’t need to know where you did your booking.

This Woman's Name Is Happy Thanksgiving (Yes, Really) | ABC News Blogs - Yahoo

From YahooNews

It's safe to say no one has ever forgotten this woman's name, or her birthday.

During the month of November, Happy Thanksgiving Reynolds, a family physician from Minneapolis, hears her name being shouted everywhere she goes.

She's used to it, and even embraces the holiday-themed moniker given to her by her parents when she was born on Thanksgiving in 1970.

"My parents were hippies, but if you wanted to categorize them in hippie-land, they weren't Hollywood drug hippies," Reynolds, 43, explained to Good Morning America GoodMorningAmerica.com. Rather, she says, "They were the move to a small town in Minnesota type, starting a co-op and a small school, and starting the whole organic food movement."

In true hippie fashion, Reynolds' parents did not want to choose her name beforehand, but instead believed, "She'll pick her name by when she's born."

"They were just like 'Hey, she's a thanks and a giving from God on Thanksgiving morning," Reynolds said.

The name "Snow" was also a contender because that day was the first snowfall of the year in St. Paul.

Despite the quirkiness and constant questioning surrounding a name like Happy Thanksgiving, Reynolds maintains a positive attitude about it all.

"It's been awesome," she said. "I've lived all over the country and it's been incredibly great because I'll go places and people will be like, 'Hey, my friend knows you.' The name has been its own intrinsic social networker, which is totally awesome."

The name itself has even gotten Reynolds job interviews, simply because employers are curious to meet the person whose real name is Happy Thanksgiving.

Even in the career of medicine, Reynolds says the name has bode well for her, acting as an ice breaker with her patients.

"In so much of family medicine, we wind up being the holders of people's private moments, both good and bad," she explained. "In an accidental way, the name is so out there, it almost allows people to break that layer and say, 'I can trust you.' And it's lovely."

And even now, 43 years later, Reynolds' parents have no regrets about their daughter's festive name choice.

"She seems to be enjoying it," her father, Kelly Reynolds, said.
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On that note...Excelsior Limousine wishes everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Need a car? We have town cars and SUV's ready for your call,

Curbing Carbs

At Excelsior Limousine we're going to indulge on Thanksgiving Day, but after, we'll have to "curb" our carbs. (get it..."curbing" our carbs...never mind...it's a stretch).
Three ways to curb you carbs after Thanksgiving:
1.Make lasagna using zucchini strips.
2.Use cauliflower instead of rice in Indian or Thai curries.
3.Use a large romaine leaf as the "bread" for your ham and cheese.

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Excelsior Limousine is "open" on Thanksgiving Day. Let us know if you need a town car, SUV or limousine to get you to your celebration.

Budget Travel Trip Coach: Top 10 Hotel Tips for Traveling with Kids | Travel Deals, Travel Tips, Travel Advice, Vacation Ideas | Budget Travel

Travel With Kids: Top 10 Hotel Tips

Traveling with kids, grandkids, or nieces and nephews in tow can be wonderful—and a little terrifying. But you’ll be surprised at all the freebies, discounts, and conveniences you can get out of a kid-friendly hotel stay. Our author—a mother of five!—spills her secrets.

By Kerry Lyons, Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013, 12:00 PM  

PLAN YOUR MEALS

If freebies aren't included or Taco Night just isn't your thing, you may be tempted to order room service. And you should, just once. The thrill of it for the kids (and ease of it for you!) is worth the expense, but for most of us, it's a one-hit wonder. To ensure you don't blow your sightseeing budget on breakfast, lunch, and dinner, consider choosing a hotel with an en suite kitchen. It's easy to pack a few basics like cereal, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, and mac & cheese or, better yet, pick them up en route to the hotel or in the lobby "pantry"; the Hilton Garden Inn has a "Pavilion Pantry retail market offering a selection of microwaveable packaged, refrigerated and frozen food items and an assortment of beverages, snacks and sundries." Since you'll want to eat out a few nights, be sure to research family-friendly local joints before stomachs start to growl—or put the concierge to work and let her take care of the details.

PACK WISELY, BUT DON'T PACK IT ALL

While we'd all like to take a break from laundry, it pays to pack light and do a load on the road—especially when you consider the high cost of checking bags and limited real estate in rental cars. Find out what your laundry options are before you go. Does your hotel offer laundry service? Is it worth paying a premium for?  If not, ask about a laundry room (many of the suite hotels, including the Hilton Garden Inn and Home2Suites, have them) or proximity to a local laundromat or wash & fold service so that you'll be prepared when Junior wets his pants or your princess tosses her cookies. A word of caution though, courtesy of Jamie Pearson, the well-traveled blogger behind Travel Savvy Mom, "If you decide to bring a Ziploc bag of laundry detergent with you, label it with a Sharpie and put it in your checked baggage. On the whole, TSA agents tend to take a dim view of baggies full of white powder."

BE AWARE OF HIDDEN COSTS

Nothing mars a memory more quickly than sticker shock at checkout. Ask in advance about fees for parking, exceeding double occupancy, rollaway beds, cribs, and any other surprises that might come up. Also note that "all-inclusive" resorts may not be; while meals are typically included, many resort activities like water sports, kid camps, and those cute umbrella drinks that are oh-so-tempting may come with a hefty price tag. Last but not least, keep the kids out of the mini-fridge and away from the snack bar. While it was fun to watch Chevy Chase charge it to the Underwood's in Fletch, it's not nearly as amusing when the victim is you and the hoodlums are your own!

JOIN AAA

Annual membership fees for the AAA range from $58 for a basic membership to $129 for the premiere package. All members receive "great deals at major chains such as Best Western, Clarion, Doubletree Hotels, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Quality or Sleep Inn, and more."  Other perks?  Travel guides, entertainment discounts and, of course, the rapid-response roadside assistance they are known for. If you'll need a car seat at your destination, joining AAA automatically enrolls you in the Hertz Gold Plus program, which will give you one car seat for free when you rent from Hertz.

DON'T SKIP "DATE NIGHT"!

Let's be honest, it's hard to keep the flame alive when you and your partner are sharing the room with your offspring, but that doesn't mean it has to fizzle out completely. If you're heading to a warm weather destination, request a room with a terrace or patio and order room service after the kids are tucked in; dining al fresco is like going on a date without leaving your room. If you'd prefer to stay inside, dim the lights as the little ones snooze and tuck in for a movie or perhaps even a bubble bath—sans rubber duckie. Sometimes romance is as simple as a tub you didn't have to clean... Now that's a vacation!

SAFETY FIRST

Remember that many hotels are built for business travelers, not baby travelers so, if you're bringing a little one along, consider bringing some of the baby-proofing "comforts" of home with you. Little things like outlet covers won't take up much space in your bag and will give you peace of mind as your crawler explores his new surroundings. For bigger kids, remind them that home rules apply for hotels too—don't open the door to strangers; don't leave the door open or unlocked; and as a reminder to you, don't leave the kids "home alone." As tempting as it may be to let the monitor be the babysitter, in the event of an emergency, it may be hard to return to your room and you never know when housekeeping (or anyone else) could come a'knockin'. When it comes to "kids clubs," remember your ABCs: Ask about Allergies, Background checks and "Checkpoint Charlie"—you should know what the visitation policy is for parents; the ratio of caretakers to children and who's watching the door, pool, etc., to ensure that your little one won't wander off for some sight-seeing of his own.

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

From high-end resorts like the Montage to the more affordable Residence Inn by Marriott, many goodies are there for the taking as long as you're not afraid to ask. Eager to please even the smallest of travelers, many hotels offer stuffed animals, coloring books, crayons, rubber ducks for tub time, and more. Some also have game rooms or libraries stocked with board games, video games, puzzles and books you can borrow during your stay. Forgot to pack pool toys? Ask for those too. If the hotel doesn't offer them as a giveaway or for complimentary use at the pool, there's a good chance someone else has left them behind and you can reap the rewards. If you're traveling with a baby on board, the Westin even offers Diaper Genies, bottle warmers, and booster seats. But remember, you don't get what you don't ask for!

BE SPECIFIC WHEN MAKING YOUR RESERVATION

If you need a crib, ask for it before you arrive, not when you're checking in. If you need a mini-fridge to keep the morning milk cold, confirm it ahead of time. You should also ask about the maximum occupancy of the room you reserved; most hotels have a limit and it's best to know what it is ahead of time—especially if, like me, you hope to squeeze your entire brood into one room. While you're at it, consider requesting a room with a kid-friendly layout—an alcove, walk-in closet, or even a large bathroom can accommodate a crib or Pack & Play so you don't find yourself reading or eating in the dark after putting the little ones to bed.

JOIN—AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF—LOYALTY PROGRAMS

From Hyatt to Starwood, there are numerous perks programs just waiting for you to join. Membership is free, points are earned over time, discounts are often available, and, as they say, membership has its rewards. According to a Hilton Worldwide spokesperson, "With Hilton HHonors, the more often members stay, the higher the status they'll achieve and the more perks they'll have access to whether traveling for business or leisure—including but not limited to space-available upgrades to a preferred room or suite; the option to choose from a host of MyWay benefits like one in-room movie per stay to entertain the kids, or a selection of free beverages, sweet treats, and salty snacks. We even offer late or express checkout to make packing up the family simpler." Sign up is quick and easy and with apps like CardStar or AwardWallet to help track your membership numbers, status and passwords, there's no reason not to just do it!

ALL YOU CAN EAT

Well, it may not be all you can eat and frankly, it would be a shame not to get out of the hotel to enjoy the local fare, but you can and should take advantage of any freebies that are offered. Breakfast is included at most family-friendly hotels, including Country Inn & Suites, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn Express, and Spring Hill Suites. The Doubletree is famous for warm chocolate-chip cookies at check-in and a spokesperson confirmed that if you ask nicely, they will even give you two. Many hotels let kids eat free (something they regret when they see our clan of five approaching!) and some even include weeknight dinners in your daily rate. We lucked out on a recent trip to Washington, D.C., when it was Taco Night at the Residence Inn; free tacos make for happy travelers, both tall and small! The Holiday Inn lets up to four kids 12 and under eat free at their on-site restaurants with a paying adult and if you book the Experiences by Marriot package, breakfast, lunch and dinner is included; in their words "we'll take care of feeding them and you can worry about what you want to eat." Be sure to read the fine print though; "kids eat free" has its limitations and poolside dining and room service typically top the list.

Toddler seats and baby seats are available at Excelsior Limousine. Use our seats or yours in our town cars or SUVs.

Staycations on the rise?

By  Jessica Hartogs

CBS News/ November 20, 2013, 11:18 AM

Fewer people will travel for Turkey Day this year: report

For the first time in five years, travel across the United States over the Thanksgiving holiday will decline, with only 43.4 million people traveling for their turkey, according to a AAA.

It's a slight 1.5 percent decrease compared to the 44 million that traveled in 2012. The average distance journeyed will increase to 601 miles from 588 miles in 2012.

"While the economy continues to improve, the sluggish pace of the recovery is creating uncertainty in the minds of some consumers and therefore AAA is projecting a slight decline in the number of Thanksgiving travelers this year," said AAA Chief Operating Officer Marshall L. Doney.

90 percent of travelers will hit the road and travel by car, a decline of 1.6 percent from 2012.

Air travel is also predicted to decline this year, with 3.14 million people choosing to jump on a plane compared to 3.26 million in 2012.

Americans will spend approximately $465 per household to travel during this holiday period, down from $498 last year.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the least expensive holidays to travel; Americans spent an average of $804 during this year's Labor Day and $749 for Independence Day.

Wednesday, Nov. 27, will be the busiest day of Thanksgiving travel- with 37 percent of travelers departing that day. Sunday, Dec 1, is when most will head home.

If all these numbers are filling you with anxiety ahead of this year's holiday, you can take comfort in that the AAA estimates most drivers will pay the cheapest gas prices for the Thanksgiving holiday since 2010.

The national average is at the cheapest level of the year and should continue to drop in the weeks ahead, with most stations selling gas for less than $3.00 per gallon.

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At Excelsior we are happy to provide your "staycation" ground transportation. Town cars, SUVs or limousines. You relax. We'll drive.

 

Holiday Travel: Tips for Getting Through LAX Faster

Yup. It's that time again. Beat the stress at LAX. Here are a few tips:

 

1.      Book an Excelsior Limousine town car or SUV to get to LAX. :) 

2.      Check in online.

3.      Check your flight status online.

4.      Arrive two hours ahead of time

5.      Don’t be that guy in the security line. Have ID ready, wear easy to remove shoes, down the water in your water bottle, you know the drill…

6.      Any questions or problems look for employees with red vests.

Batkid's Make-a-Wish Transforms San Francisco Into Gotham - ABC News

Nov. 15, 2013

By CHRISTINA NG

via Good Morning America

 

A little boy's wish galvanized San Francisco today and melted the hearts of people around the world who followed his exploits as the city transformed into Gotham to fulfill the 5-year-old leukemia patient's wish to be Batman for a day.

 

The Make-a-Wish Foundation created an entire day catered to Miles Scott's dream, and thousands of people turned out to cheer him on along the way. President Obama even issued his first ever Vine on Twitter congratulating Miles.

His day began with a special edition cover of the San Francisco Chronicle, whose entire front page was dedicated to the young superhero. The headline for the lead story is "Batkid Saves City."

The author? None other than Clark Kent.

The other front-page stories, all about Batkid, were written by Lois Lane, Brenda Starr and Perry White.

Around 9:30 a.m. PT, Miles saw a breaking news story on a TV. The police chief asked whether anyone knows where Batkid is because he needs his help to solve a crime and "bringing the bad guys to justice," Make-a-Wish said in a statement.

Miles' day included rescuing a damsel in distress tied up across the Hyde Street cable car line and capturing the Riddler in the act of robbing a downtown vault. As Batkid ate his lunch at Burger Bar, he got a special message from the chief, telling him to go to the window where he looked out over Union Square and saw a huge group of volunteers jumping up and down and asking for his help.

While Batkid was eating lunch, the villainous Penguin was kidnapping famous San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal and Batkid rushed to the rescue. His last stop was City Hall, where the mayor and police chief thanked him and presented him with a key to the city as thousands of supporters cheered him on.

Even the U.S. Attorney's office got in on the action, issuing a news release announcing the arrest of the Riddler and the Penguin, thanks to BatKid.

"He is a sunny, positive little boy and finds his inspiration in super heroes," Make-a-Wish said of Miles. "When we interviewed Miles for a wish, he surprised even his parents: he wishes to be BatKid!"

Make-a-Wish decided to make Miles' dream come true and, in a rare move for the foundation, asked the public to participate.

"This is one that we thought of as a great opportunity for people to share in the power of a wish so they can see how it affects not only the children and their families, but also the other people involved," Jen Wilson, marketing and promotions manager for Make-a-Wish in San Francisco, told ABCNews.com. "It has a big impact on many people.

"Since he wants to be a superhero, we felt like having a large crowd there waiting with signs and cheering him on would make him feel like a hero, not just because he battle villains and helped fight crime, but he's a true hero," Wilson said.

The interest level in Miles' wish has been "extreme," Wilson said, and that this is "definitely not the typical wish we grant."

Twitter was ablaze with the hashtag #SFBatKid.

"We've gotten people who want to volunteer to participate, actors reaching out asking if they can play a role, photographers and videographers offering their services, people who want to give Miles gifts, makeup artists willing to donate their services, a fire truck that want to come out and show their support," Wilson said. "It's quite a range."

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We at Excelsior Limousine just love this story. Thank you Make-a-Wish foundation!

 

Excelsior Limousine: Los Angeles premiere luxury transportation. Town cars, SUVs and limousines

 

Nov. 11, 1926: U.S. highway system created | Yahoo Travel

We found this great article on Yahoo Travel.

Did you know that on Nov. 11, 1926 the United States Highway numbering system was unveiled?

There were roads across the United States before 1926, but they weren’t systematically named, numbered or otherwise organized. Instead, the country was crisscrossed by a series of loosely connected local routes.

That changed in 1925, when state transportation officials convened a Joint Board on Interstate Highways. After a year of taking comments on its original proposal, the board unveiled the new highway numbering system on Nov. 11, 1926.

The U.S. Highways (often called U.S. Routes) were the fastest way to drive from one place to another for three decades, until the Interstate Highway System was created in the 1950s, building even speedier purpose-built multi-lane roads.

Some U.S. highways retain something of an iconic status, and they’re ideal for travelers seeking a true road trip with lower speeds, better scenery, out-of-the-way towns and lots of history. Route 66, for example, still retains its old charm. The Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road, still cuts through the middle of the country from New York to San Francisco (the section through the Nevada is sometimes called “the Loneliest road in America” and is great for escaping the rest of humanity).

For U.S. Routes, north-to-south highways are usually odd-numbered, with numbers going from low to high as you travel from east to west. West-to-east highways are typically even-numbered, and numbers go from low to high as you move north to south.

 

Excelsior Limousine town cars, SUVs and limousines take you north, south, east or west on any road, route or highway. How’s that for service?  LAX and Bob Hope Burbank Airport too.  

The Airline Report Cards Are In

Which Airline Ranks No. 1 In Customer Service? The Rankings Are Here

By Rich Smith
November 9, 2013

Which airline gives you the best customer service? I'll give you a hint: The answer isn't any of the major "legacy" carriers. (Shocker, I know.)

Mega-carriers US Airways (NYSE: LCC ) , American (still owned by AMR), and United (now part of United Continental (NYSE: UAL ) may be some of the biggest airlines in the country, but according to a recent survey conducted by Airfarewatchdog, they're far from the best, ranking eighth, ninth, and 10^th on the consumer advocate's list of the Top 10 carriers.

Even Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL ) sports only a sixth-place rating on Airfarewatchdog's list. And Southwest's (NYSE: LUV  ) two brands -- Southwest proper and AirTran -- bracket Delta in fifth and seventh places, respectively.

No, when it comes to providing top-level service for getting planes to arrive on time, running flights instead of canceling them, delivering baggage and passengers to their intended destination, and overall customer satisfaction, the No. 1 airline in the nation is Frontier Airlines, a subsidiary of Republic Airways (NASDAQ: RJET ) .

Here's how the rankings stack up, from top to bottom:

Airline	Rank
Frontier	1st Place
Virgin America	2nd Place
JetBlue	3rd Place
Alaska	4th Place
Southwest	5th Place
Delta	6th Place
AirTran	7th Place
US Airways	8th Place
American	9th Place
United	10th Place

How did Frontier Airlines earn "best in show"?
Digging into the details on Airfarewatchdog's multiple surveys, which add up to the overall results shown above, the results do seem a bit curious.

Frontier actually doesn't rank No. 1 in any of the subcategories examined. It's not No. 1 in uncanceled flights (that's Virgin America), or in on-time arrivals (Alaska Air holds that honor). Frontier's not the best in baggage handling, denied boardings, or customer satisfaction, either. Top marks in these categories go to Virgin, JetBlue, and JetBlue (again), respectively.

Yet according to Airfarewatchdog, Frontier does a good enough job in each individual category to make it the best airline to fly, overall.

Maybe that's why when it comes to picking "feeder" regional airlines to supply them, even the majors turn to Frontier's own parent company, Republic, to connect them with passengers aboard brands American Eagle, US Airways Express, and United Express.

Apparently, good enough for them is also good enough for us.

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Not to toot our own car horn or anything, but check out our Yelp reviews. We have a five star rating for our Excelsior Limousine town cars, SUVs and limousines. Thank you Yelp reviewers!

 

 

Stuffed Animals Need R & R Too

We found this at Yahoo travel

This company will send your stuffed animal on a vacation

By Claudine Zap  Compass

Your teddy bear has always wanted to visit Tokyo in the spring. Fortunately for Mr. Bobo, there's Unagi Travel, the "Japan Travel Agency for Stuffed Animals."

The travel agency gives tours not to you but to your favorite plush toy. For fans of the movie "Amelie," in which a garden gnome disappears from a front yard and mysteriously appears in photos taken at tourist sites around the globe, this is kind of like that: Give your teddy a grand adventure while you sit at home. Talk about a toy story.

The odd but oddly adorable idea goes like this: Head to the Unagi Travel website and book your toy's tour. Price points are reasonable, but you pay for shipping to Japan. They send your toy back for free.

Prices range from $35 to $55 for the guided tours to Tokyo, a trip to onsen (hot springs), or a "mystery tour" where the destination is revealed only at the last minute.

According to the website, the Tokyo package includes visits to the shopping district Shibuya; historic Asakusa, famous for its Buddhist temple; and views from the Tokyo Tower.

For your $45, you'll get a postcard from your plush friend and a "printed commemorative photograph along with the data on a CD-ROM," the website states. Photos will also be uploaded on to the company's Facebook page.

 

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At Excelsior Limousine marketing meeting:

 

Luba: "Think about it. Town car, SUV and limousine special rates for stuffed animals!" 

 

Maurice: "No."

 

Luba: "We'd get more Facebook likes!"

 

Maurice: "No."

 

Luba: "Yelp reviews?"

 

Maurice: "I don't know you anymore."