A Checklist for Traveling With Pets

So your little fur-ball may not have just won Westminster, but that doesn’t mean that your pet doesn’t deserve to be treated like best in show when he or she takes to the road.

But do you know what you need to bring with you next time you go traveling with pets? Well, don’t just sit there like Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman’s couch! Be proactive about bringing anything your pet could possibly need, and you’ll be prepared for any scenario.

Here’s a handy travel checklist of what to bring along the next time you take Fluffy or Fido on a trip:

• A regulation-size carrier for the plane or car
• Vaccination records, medications, and vet’s phone number
• Portable water and food dishes
• Food and a can opener if needed
• Leash and collar with ID tag
• Bedding, whether it’s blankets, towels, or a portable pet bed
• Cleaning supplies (should an accident occur)
• Grooming brushes and/or clippers
• Toys and treats
• Flashlight for night walks

And be sure to check beforehand and make sure that the hotel you’ll be staying at is pet-friendly!

Watching Whales in Hawaii

I’ve just returned from Hawaii, where whale season is in full effect (it lasts from December to April). As it is right now, the whales spend half the year feeding in the nutrient-rich waters of Alaska, and then migrate down to Hawaii in the winter months to breed, give birth, and nurse their calves.

This trip, I participated in an island-wide whale census which was sponsored by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). On the morning of January 31, on the island of Oahu, several volunteers took to dozens of look-out posts to count the big critters from 8am until noon. I joined the volunteers atop Diamond Head, near Waikiki, and it wasn’t long before I heard one of the other volunteers yell “blow, three o’clock,” and sure enough, when I looked to the right, there was the telltale sign of a whale blowing out from the top of the water.

The blows look like little plumes, almost like mini-waterfalls, which distinguishes them from the white caps around them. If you spot one of these blows, then it means you’re looking in the right spot to see more exciting actions like tail flops, breaches, and even occasionally whales that jump out of the water. We spotted a mama whale and her calf, for example, who were clearly playing in the waves. Calves are good for whale watchers because they come up for air more often than the adults; usually once every three to five minutes. Adults, on the other hand, can stay submerged for more than 40 minutes at a time!

If you want to go to Hawaii right now, airfares are low and many of the hotels are offering Hawaii vacation deals like free nights, free breakfast, and much more. If you act fast, you could even get there right in time for the Pro Bowl--it's the last year it will be held in Hawaii before it moves on to Florida. Aloha!

3 Great Cities for Music

With American Idol in the early stages of a brand-new season, I thought it would be appropriate to blog today about some of America’s great music cities. I love hearing music when I’m traveling, and some of my favorite memories involve dark holes in the walls filled with that musical spirit, as some undiscovered local talent bewitches their captive audience into staying out until all hours of the night.

While I love hearing blues in Chicago, rocking at clubs in Los Angeles with eyes peeled for celebrities, and counting the Deadhead posters at San Francisco’s famous Fillmore, here are my top three go-to cities when I want a music-filled vacation:

1. New Orleans: From dark nightclubs to brass bands that parade through day-lit streets, the city of New Orleans is filled with music around the clock, and festivals like Jazz Fest are just the beginning. Gospel choirs emanate good feelings from the doors of churches, jazz legends like Carl Densen wait to start their shows at 4am when they know the true fans will be on-hand, and groups like the Rebirth Brass Band symbolize what the city spirit is all about.

2. Nashville: In the home of country music and rock and roll, it can sometimes seem like there’s a cowboy-boot-wearing guitar player on every street corner and that every time happy hour rolls around it’s time for the honky tonk. Just head to the Ryman Auditorium or the Country Music Hall of Fame, and you’ll be able to appreciate a rich legacy of stars famous for creating that one and only Nashville sound.

3. Washington, D.C: Most people don’t know that Go-Go music was invented in the nation’s capital by Chuck Brown, but you can still hear it played today in venues like Alexandria’s Birchmere and at the 9:30 Club. Sure Fugazi once reigned supreme on the D.C. music scene—and still does in some circles—but the city is also famous for its more classical venues, like the Kennedy Center, where the National Symphony Orchestra often plays.

How to Save Money With a Complex Vacation Package

The Offer: Mr. Brown is attending a conference for work in Seattle this May.

The Opportunity: I have never seen the Pacific Northwest and a dear friend lives in Portland.

The Complication: Vacation days and money are tight.

The Solution: A customized vacation package.

When I left the South, I forgot to take my laid-back attitude with me. Instead I have morphed into a bona fide city slicker, rushing from one appointment to the next, always scared I’m going to miss out on the fun. And when I vacation, this little habit kicks into overdrive. So what if I can only take two days off work for this little adventure? Surely a long weekend in Seattle and Portland is better than never having seen either city?

And so I set to work researching my travel options. In general I like to book Flight + Hotel vacation packages. Not only do they save you oodles of cash (some websites say as much as $315 per person per trip), they’re also easy to book. But would they work for a complex travel situation like this? My husband’s airfare to and from Seattle is free--as is his hotel. I’d like to fly to Seattle to meet him, then take a hop over to Portland together, and book a hotel in the City of Roses. Basically, I need a flight with three legs and a hotel stay at the end of it. Would booking a vacation package even be possible?!

The answer? Yes and no. Sadly, you can’t yet book a multi-leg flight and add a hotel to one of your stops. Travelocity does allow you to book a Flight + Hotel package where you fly into one city and stay in another, but the stay spans the entire length of your trip, which is not what I need.

BUT I still have two options. I can book a multi-leg flight and book a hotel stay in Portland separately. OR I can book a Flight + Hotel package from Seattle to Portland and add in a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Seattle separately. Are you still with me? Ready to crunch some numbers? Do you have a guess on which is the cheaper option?

Well, the answer is a little anti-climatic, I’m afraid. I used the same travel dates, times, and hotel and the two totals ended up being within THREE MEASLY BUCKS of one another. I know! Who figures this stuff out? Only crazy people like me, apparently. But then I got to wondering if this was because my trip was so short and nearby. What if I tried this same experiment on a far-flung location?

I tried this entire scenario again (do you see what I go through for you guys?!) using a San Francisco/Hong Kong/Bangkok combination, and this time the results seemed to favor the Flight + Hotel package + Flight option. So if you’re planning a complex trip for a longer period of time to a distant location, be sure to price the Flight + Hotel option and then add the rest of your trip to it. But if it’s a short trip, it probably doesn’t matter how you book it.

Man, I’m exhausted now. (Swoons on settee) It's a good thing Blagojevich passed me (and Oprah) over as a candidate for Obama's senate seat.

Why Blagojevich Should Take a Cruise

Recently, with all his strange press conferences and poor political behavior, doesn’t it seem like Rod Blagojevich could use some chilling out to get his head back on straight (the guy can’t even get his fingerprints right)? I’ve decided a cruise would be perfect for him--and I know cruising. I’ve sang karaoke, played miniature golf, had a martini in a revolving restaurant, and even attended an indoor parade—all in the middle of the sea on cruise ships.

Now I never pegged myself as a cruiser. I like adventure, and places unknown, and solitary paths that lead to hidden discoveries. But every now and again, I like to just relax, kick up my heels with the rest of the human race, and have a lotta fun. A cruise ship is a great way to go.

When you factor in that once you’re onboard, your meals, lodging, and entertainment are included, it’s hard to find a better value—and judging by his debt, Blago could sure use a good value (and a good haircut!). Plus, heavily discounted rates available right now means that you could theoretically go cruising for well under $99 a day.

And the ships themselves are getting more and more fun, and catering to a younger audience, too. Forget shuffleboard (unless that’s your favorite)--now you can rock-climb and ice-skate, play pool on self-leveling tables, get fantastic aromatherapy massage treatments, and even whiten your teeth (surely Blago would like that last one). You could be on a live game-show that gets broadcast to every stateroom on the ship and become an instant onboard celebrity, or you could dance all night long in a nightclub.

In short, it’s been over a year since my last cruise, and right now’s the right time to take my next vacation afloat. But, Blago, please, if you’re gonna set sail, here’s to hoping we’re not on the same ship.