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Eat. Drink. Read. - A Culinary Event for Literacy in San Diego

May 30, 2015 Aimee Slade

While I obviously love to travel and explore the world around me, my husband and I also realize the importance of home and caring for where you live. We are always looking for ways to give back to our community and we were honored to attend this incredible event that combines our passion for amazing food and for raising awareness for reading and education.  

My husband Colin has always been an avid reader - flying through at least a book a week since I've known him and we've both been blessed with the accessibility to education throughout our whole lives; however, not everyone has those same opportunities even here in San Diego.  If you've ever traveled to another country and been confused or lost because you couldn't translate the menu or the street signs, imagine what that would be like at home on a daily basis. A staggering number of kids and adults struggle to read at a basic level and the San Diego Council on Literacy helps to provide literacy assistance to 170,000 of those individuals in need each year.  

The event took place in Brian Malarkey's beautiful La Jolla restaurant, Green Acres. Dozens of Chefs and local restaurants came together for the night, each creating a dish that represented their favorite book.  Hundreds of people and businesses gathered to taste the delicious food and celebrate a worthy cause and it was a pleasure to be part of it.  A great thanks goes out to the San Diego Council on Literacy volunteers who worked so hard to organize the festivities and to the chefs who so graciously gave of their time and resources to shed light on an organization that seeks to provide the gift of reading to children and adults in San Diego. I hope you will join me next year or reach out for ways you can help support the San Diego Council on Literacy. 

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In Food, Experiences Tags San Diego, Literacy, Council on Literacy, Charity, Eat, Drink, Read, eat drink read, Brian Malarkey
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5 Tips to Cheap Flights - The Smart Way to Compare Prices

May 17, 2015 Aimee Slade

As people start to make summer travel plans, the question I get asked over and over again is "How do I find deals on flights?" and my answer is always the same - with work. Cheap flights don't just show up magically in your email inbox at the very moment you start planning a trip (the Flight Fairy still hasn't stopped by my house), so it takes a good amount of organization and diligence to snag a great price.  I personally hate paying more money than I absolutely have to on flights because I'd rather spend that cash on a fancy dinner or swanky hotel, so I'm always on the hunt for airline sales. Most of the time I end up saving at least a couple hundred dollars, if not more, and friends and family are shocked when I tell them the price. Here's the method to my madness, I hope it helps you save some money!

1. SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS USING A PRIVATE BROWSER

Airlines track your search history, meaning that every time you search for a specific flight, the airlines remember it and you are less likely to see a cheaper price. However, you can get around this by setting your internet browser to Private. Every browser is a little different, but in Safari you can choose from the Safari drop down at the top of your screen and choose "Private Browsing" or in Google Chrome click on the File drop down and choose "New Incognito Window."  You can also clear your cookies before every search, which helps to clear your search history. 

2. DON'T JUST RELY ON MAJOR BOOKING SITES TO SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS

I almost always book directly with the airline itself, unless I find a better deal on a booking site.  Airlines will run special promotions and don't charge booking fees when booked directly, so you can often save money just by going to the airline's website.  Don't get me wrong, I still use the booking sites to generally look for pricing - then navigate to the airline itself based on comparisons on Expedia and Kayak.  

There are also many airlines that do not participate in major booking sites, such as Southwest, so you'll want to go directly to those sites as well to check for up to date pricing.  If you are traveling abroad, you'll want to do a search for local airlines in that country/city. For example, when I was looking for flights between cities in Australia, I was able to find 2 local airlines - Tiger Air and JetStar, neither one that shows up on search engines.  All I did was Google "Australia local and domestic airlines." If I had relied solely on booking sites, I would have paid $150pp for a flight from Sydney to Cairns on a major airline like Air New Zealand, but instead I paid $34pp on one of the local airlines. See what a little research can save you?

3. START TRACKING PRICES 

You'll want to track the prices you find early on - usually 4-6 months ahead of time if you can.  I put together a simple spreadsheet that shows the day I searched, what airline and the price, that way I have an idea when I find a cheap flight or not.  Tuesdays and Thursdays are generally known as the days that the lowest prices are posted.  I usually check on prices twice a week for 1-2 months; this gives me a great feel for the flight cost and I'll easily know when I find a great price. You can sign up for automatic flight tracking on sites like Kayak, Airfare Watchdog and Fare Compare and receive email alerts when prices change or make any changes. **When you find a great deal, book it immediately! There's always a chance that it could get lower, but that chance is usually slim. Don't gamble with flight prices, they usually only go up!

4. SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES FOR SPECIFIC AIRLINES AND TRAVEL SITES 

If you have an idea for what airlines you'll want to fly, sign up for their email updates. For example, when I was looking into flying to New Zealand, I signed up for email updates on Air New Zealand so that if a great deal came up I would know about it.  If you don't have a specific airline in mind, sign up for a few that you know go to your destination.  I have a special email address that I use for these types of emails (not my main one) so that it's all in one spot and doesn't clog up my inbox.  It would look something like "AimeeTravelEmails@gmail.com" (I just made this up, so don't try to email me at it!). I check it a couple times a week for deals, then when I'm done with my trip, I just unsubscribe from these updates. You can also follow specific travel bloggers and websites like Travelzoo on Twitter and Facebook so you can get up to the minute deals straight to your mobile phone. 

5. BE FLEXIBLE - TRAVEL MID WEEK AND CHECK NEARBY AIRPORTS

Finally, get creative for where you fly in and out of and when.  The cheapest days to fly on are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Kayak and many airline websites allow you to look at prices over a month period so you can find the cheapest days to travel. You also want to check various airports, if you have the flexibility to do so.  Most major cities have more than one airport within an hour's drive and can sometimes mean savings of hundreds of dollars.  For example, when I travel to New York, I usually fly into LaGuardia or even New Jersey because it's usually at $100+ cheaper than going into JFK. You'll have to weigh the cost of transportation and the value of your time, but this is an easy way to save extra cash.  

In Type A Tips Tags cheap, flights, cheap flights, airline deals, travel deals, travel tips, cheap travel, compare flight prices, type a travel, Aimee Slade, compare prices
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Plan Your Summer Vacation to Martha's Vineyard - All You Need to Know Before You Go

April 27, 2015 Aimee Slade

Spring is in the air and it's time to start planning your summer vacation and Martha's Vineyard is this season's hot spot for luxury travel goers. This quaint New England island has all of the essentials for couples and families to eat, drink, play and stay and offers some of the best options for both comfort and luxury on the East Coast (there's a reason celebrities and presidents come here!).  

Martha's Vineyard is also well known as the iconic set location for the filming of Jaws and hasn't changed much since it was released over 40 years ago - minus the man eating shark, so if all of your childhood terrors are suddenly coming over you like a hot flash, you can relax.  If you remember right, it's a destination packed with country charm, sprawling hillsides, local farms, pristine beaches and a clam bake kind of luxury.  

Check out my Full Guide to Martha's Vineyard, including a complete review of the amazing Winnetu Oceanside Resort, the island's premiere spot for oceanfront, all-inclusive, high-end accommodations.   It has all the details you need for how to get there, where to stay, and what to see and eat while you're on Martha's Vineyard. 

If you have any questions or need help planning your next trip

let me know, that's what I'm here for!

In Destinations, Lodging Tags martha's vineyard, winnetu, oceanside resort, massachusetts, New England, summer vacation, family vacation, travel, tips, type a travel, type a trips, east coast vacation, vacation destination, Aimee Slade
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The best food I’ve ever had has always been about way more than what I could taste. The best food has heart and comes from passionate hands that prepare it, from the farmers in the fields to the chefs in the kitchen and we truly experienced that tonight. At @room4dessert_wg the 21 courses were divine, but it’s the conversations and many smiles we shared with the staff that will leave a lasting impression, well after our food comas subside. Many thanks to John, Chef Will and the incredible team that puts so much love into all that they do and for giving us our favorite night in Bali. #bali #travelblogger #bestreataurantinbali #ubud #dessert #bestrestaurants #chefstable #netflix #luxurytravel #room4dessert #room4dessertubud
 

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Taking A Break During Covid-19
First Timer's Travel Guide to South Africa is Now Available!
First Timer's Travel Guide to South Africa is Now Available!
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A South Africa Sneak Peak from The Boutique Adventurer
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A Majestic Afternoon with Canadian Rockies Photographer Celestine Aerden
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First-Timer's Travel Guide to the Canadian Rockies
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The Ultimate Travel Guide to Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico - 2018's Premiere Foodie Destination
All You Need to Know to Plan an Epic Vacation to Joshua Tree, California
All You Need to Know to Plan an Epic Vacation to Joshua Tree, California
Montage Palmetto Bluff - South Carolina's Ultimate Luxury Escape & the Perfect Fall Travel Destination
Montage Palmetto Bluff - South Carolina's Ultimate Luxury Escape & the Perfect Fall Travel Destination

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