Did you know that the average Boeing 737 has 10 diabetic passengers on board? With so many people affected by the condition, it makes sense that Accu-Chek, a maker of diabetic testing supplies would put together a special travel kit. The kit includes tips, a printable emergency card and medical certificate, a packing list and a phrase booklet which translates diabetic terms into several languages. You can get yours for free on their website:

Accu-Chek Travel Resources for Diabetics

Source: PR Newswire

Wake up calls at the Hyatt Hotel chain now feature the voice of Christie Brinkley. “No, you’re not dreaming,” she says as she offers guests inspirational advice for the day and a reminder that the hotel offers a hot breakfast. So for all you guys out there who have always wanted to wake up with a supermodel, now you can!

Source: Executive Travel Magazine

My trip to Chicago, Illinois is posted! Go to My Adventures to check it out. You can see the pictures in my Photo Gallery by clicking into the the album through one of the photos posted or by visiting my Photos page.

Date of trip: August 2006

Chicago is one of America’s great cities and there are so many reasons to love it. Right away, Will and I felt at home there. It was safe, familiar and easy to navigate. It was convenient and the people were nice. We tried to think of what city it was similar to, but the truth is, Chicago is it’s own unique place.

Highlights:

-Chicago is an art lover’s paradise. There are magnificent sculptures on just about every corner. We’re talking Calders, Picassos and Miros. The parks are full of beautiful fountains and gardens. The architecture is equally impressive. It is obvious that many designers and artists have a fondness for this city and that the city cares about bringing culture and beauty into the lives of those that live there and those that visit.

-The Art Institute of Chicago is the most important museum in the city and one of the country’s premier art institutions. Among the famous paintings exhibited there are Grant Woods’ “American Gothic” (the farmer with his daughter, holding a pitchfork) and Seurat’s “A Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte” (the picture of all the people dressed up by the lake at a park…don’t know how else to describe it, but if you saw it you would recognize it). I was surprised at the size of Seurat’s painting as it’s really quite large.

-The parks in Chicago are a must visit. In addition to all the wonderful artwork on display, in Lincoln Park there is a great FREE zoo that rivals the Bronx Zoo and nearby there is actually a beach! Have you ever heard of a city having a beach right downtown? It’s pretty cool! Also, in Grant Park you can visit Buckingham Fountain…remember the fountain in the opening of Married With Children and in Friends? Yup…that’s it!

-As a New Yorker, I am partial to New York pizza, but when in Chicago, you’d be cheating yourself of the full city experience if you didn’t try their world famous deep dish. Will and I tried a pie at Gino’s East, a Chicago legend in business since 1966. The pizzas are small, but DEEP so a small is more than enough for two people. I have to admit…it was delicious. The sauce was chunky and light and the crust was like a crispy, golden pastry.

-Another fantastic place to eat is Rosebud on Rush. A friend recommended the italian eatery to me and when I saw that it was rated by Travel and Leisure magazine as one of the best American restaurants, that was enough of an endorsement for me. Rosebud didn’t disappoint. They are famous for their square pasta!

-The Field Museum of Natural History is considered a national treasure, but is most famous for Sue, the largest preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton in the world. She’s right in the lobby too. The museum is cool, but if you’ve seen the Museum of Natural History in NYC it’s hard to compete. My advice would be to find out ahead of time what special exhibitions are going on and make your decision to visit based on those.

-Next to the Field Museum you’ll find the Adler Planetarium, the oldest in the country. I found this to be a much more interesting place to visit. Aside from the standard star show, they offer several others and there are three floors of fun and interesting interactive space exhibits.

-A visit to Chicago would not be complete without a trip to the top of the Sears Tower, the third tallest building in the world - the first if you go by number of floors. The observation deck does, of course, give you an unparalleled view of the city, but expect it to be crowded and don’t expect any extras, like a restaurant or bar or any cool exhibits. The height is really the only draw here. In case you’re wondering, Sears is no longer in the building.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Chicago Links:
Chicago Official Site
The Art Institute of Chicago
Lincoln Park Zoo
Gino’s East Pizza
Rosebud on Rush Restaurant
The Field Museum
Adler Planetarium
Sears Tower

There’s a silver lining to getting stuck with a bill from Uncle Sam. After you file your return, you can pay your taxes online. Use a point or mile earning credit card and get something back for your pain. The catch? You will be charged a 2.49% convenience fee. If you have a big bill, it’s definitely worth it especially if you have a United Mileage Plus Visa or a Jetblue American Express which are offering double miles/points for tax payments. United will cap you at 2,500-5,000 miles depending on the type of card you have so be sure to read the fine print. There are two websites approved by the IRS to accept your payments, Official Payments and Pay1040. For more information, you can visit them here:

Official Payments

Pay1040

For the double mile offers you have to link through the offer sites here:

United Mileage Plus Double Miles for Tax Payments

JetBlue Double TrueBlue Points for Tax Payments

Remember this book?

It was released in 2003 by a travel writer named Patricia Schultz and toted as “the” travelers handbook. Although I do own the book and find it to be a good resource, it’s not the list to end all lists….no way. Like many of the book’s critics, I disagree with some of her entries. Many are 5 star hotels, and I’ve certainly noted many amazing places that are missing from the book.

At any rate, the Travel Channel will begin airing a new television show of the same name, inspired by the book, starting tomorrow March 29th. It follows a newlywed couple through 13 countries to 100 of the places listed in the book. Sounds promising considering that most of the programming on the Travel Channel is about Vegas.

For more info on the show or to buy the book, it retails for $18.95, please visit the show’s Travel Channel website:

1,000 Places to See Before You Die

My trip to Little Rock, Arkansas is posted! Former President Bill Clinton is a VIP in Arkansas and there are many attractions you can visit there that revolve around his life. Any visitor center will be happy to send you off on a “Billgrimage” through the state with this little Clinton passport that can be stamped at each stop. If you go over to My Adventures you can read about my day at the Clinton Center and check out my photos.

Date of trip: September 2006

We took a day trip to Little Rock, Arkansas from Memphis. It is about a two hour drive and although there isn’t much to see along the way, there are miles of fluffy, white cotton fields that as New Englander, I found impressive.

The Bill Clinton Presidential Center is really the only attraction in Little Rock. It details his history as president and the building is beautiful. Yes, in case you are wondering, Monica is mentioned and there is a picture of her here! The Center has an education department that works in conjunction with the University of Arkansas and Clinton, as well as many of his high powered friends, are frequent lecturers. An interesting fact is that Clinton actually sleeps in a suite on the roof of the museum when he is in town which is at least once a month! While visiting the center, I wondered aloud whether Little Rock would also house a museum in Hilary’s name should she become a future president. I was informed that a president can put their museum/library anywhere they choose and many states will court a former president for the rights. Bill Clinton insisted on having his in Little Rock as he felt connected to the area and wanted the city to reap the financial benefits of the tourism dollars his attraction was sure to bring. Hilary, as a senator of NY, would likely choose a location in that state.

A shuttle runs from the Clinton Center to the main street where you can find open air farmer’s and craft markets if the weather is nice and some good restaurants and cafes to choose from for a bite.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Little Rock Links:
Little Rock Official Site
William J. Clinton Presidential Center