Priceless Writer - Travel & Recreation

As mentioned in my previous post regarding e-club and birthday specials and freebies, signing up for restaurant newsletters and clubs can help you save money when celebrating your birthday on-the-go or right in your neck of the woods. I've come across a few other selections to consider, which are listed below.

Other Restaurant Birthday E-Club Freebies:

Damon's Grill – grilled chicken, seafood and ribs
Locations: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin  Freebies: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Entrée for Birthday; $5 off any Dinner Entrée on Anniversary of Sign-up Date

Bennigan's – grill and tavern
Try the Turkey O'Toole with the Bennigan's Pretzel Roll – hmmm. They also send monthly Member Perks – like free desserts and appetizers. Locations  Freebie: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Entrée for Birthday

Houlihan's – Exotic and creative dishes; fun drinks
Receive coupons on the anniversary of your sign-up date. Locations Freebies: Free Birthday Entrée; Three's Company Mini Dessert Trio or Large Dessert on Sign-up Date Anniversary

BD's Mongolian Barbeque – Create your own stir fry
It is truly a delicious experience! They also recently opened a restaurant in Louisville. Locations  Freebie: Free Stir-Fry Meal

Ruby Tuesday's – Free Dessert

 
The next time you settle into a long US Airways flight, you may not have the chance to pass the time with an in-flight movie. As the airline tries to cut expenses on domestic flights, you'll find this welcomed feature axed by fall. Simply put, just another casuality of rising fuel costs with many more to come. While movie executives and Hollywood will suffer a slight blow from this decision, they do not predict other airlines to follow suit. On the bright side, you will have plenty of time to dust off that bestseller calling your name.

Yes, Timbuktu really exists! It’s a city located in the West African nation of Mali and has somehow found its way into the popular lexicon of Americans as a far-away destination – "from here to Timbuktu." However, the city possesses a deep culture and history – all of which is stored, hidden, and treasured throughout the entire city. There are thousands upon thousands of ancient manuscripts thriving about the land, some dating back to pre-Islamic times and the 12th century.

Travelers who come to Timbuktu find an educational goldmine that touches about the thoughts Mali Empire wise men to astronomy to music to botany to history. Sudanic accounts from the 17th century, the ins and outs of trade, religion, law, and the sciences are also discussed in the many manuscripts of Timbuktu.

In 1970, the Mali government founded the Ahmed Baba Institute to restore some of the manuscripts and record their contents into digital form. The center has been able to collect more than 18,000 manuscripts, but it is estimated that between 300,000 and 700,000 manuscripts are located throughout the region. Some are protected by generations of inhabitants, while others are simply hidden in the desert, caves, and buried underground.

In town, there are 60 to 80 private libraries that have been preserving manuscripts in Timbuktu, including the Mamma Haidara Library, Mohamed Tahar Library, and the Fondo Kati Library, where close to 3,000 records hailing from Andalusian origin are kept – some dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. These libraries and their counterparts are part of what is known as the "African Ink Road," which stretches across West Africa to North Africa to East Africa.

How would you like to enjoy a stay at one of the greenest hotels in the country and I'm not referring to the color? The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina uses 40% less energy and 35% less water than your typical hotel. How do they accomplish this feat? 40,000 square feet of solar panels situated on the roof is responsible for heating the restaurant and supplying hot water throughout the hotel. The guestrooms are also outfitted with water conservation fixtures.

Many people are under the misconception that you must sacrifice luxury when choosing an eco-friendly establishment. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The Proximity Hotel offers access to complimentary Wi-Fi, 32-inch flat-panel televisions, original art, and large windows that allow a rush of natural light to blanket your surroundings.

Hotel Details

• 147 Rooms
• Print Works Bistro Restaurant - classic European bistro dishes
• Outdoor Terrace
• Otis' Gen2 Elevator – offering regenerative drive
• 70+ Energy and Health Enhancements
• Custom Furniture and Magi Beds
• Outdoor Swimming Pool
• Average Rates:  ~$179 per night
  

Is there any way to get a cheap flight, nowadays? In the past, I could uncover pretty good deals on Yahoo Travel, scanning the flight deals listed according to my specified cities. However, this feature is no longer available and as the price of gas rises – flying the "friendly skies" seems more of an inconvenience than a pleasurable adventure. New costs are popping up everywhere, from paying $15 for your first checked bag to extra fees for selecting the window seat.

If you're looking for ways to save money on airline flights, consider the following tips:

1) Travel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

If you fly during the slowest travel days of the week (Tuesday and Wednesday), you stand a chance at saving a bit of money. The reason: Business travelers create a higher demand for seats, as they tend to depart on Monday mornings and return on Friday afternoons. Seek out flights that depart in the middle of the week – preferably in the middle of the day.

2) Fly on Slow Times of the Year

Cheap airfare comes when you travel during the slowest time of the year – meaning cancel out the holidays, summer vacations, winter getaways, and spring flings. Consider planning a trip for between Labor Day and Thanksgiving to take advantage of the best deals.

3) Purchase Tickets at the Cheapest Time of the Day

There are moments when airlines occasionally lower their ticket prices in order to fill up empty seats. Typically, these changes take place three times a day. This means that the early bird may catch a tasty worm if they seek out flights in the wee hours of the morning. Diligent flyers usually check fares every five hours to make sure they don’t miss out on the next deal. For weekend purchases, don’t forget to check early on Saturday morning and once more at 5pm.

4) Consider a Travel Package

While you may not need a rental car or a three-nights stay at the Holiday Inn – compromising with the purchase of a travel package can save money on your overall trip – especially with the airline flight. Travel sites are overflowing with vacation packages that provide hotel stays at exceptional rates and convenient car rental specials. You save big on these last-minute sales when airlines become desperate to fill their seats. If push comes to shove – you don’t have to stay at the selected hotel or pick up the rental car, but take a closer look – the airfare savings found in a travel package are usually too tempting to pass.

The cost of gas and current economic state of the United States is sadly driving airlines to eliminate many of their special perks and discount flights. I fear it won't be too long before we're kissing goodbye the complimentary bag of peanuts and Coke. So – take advantage of what we have today because you never know when cheap flights will be gone tomorrow.