Ava Pierce: The Blog - Lounge. Rant. Find your inner bitch.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Eating should not be a sport

Today's Annoyance: Isn't it obvious?
Mantra of the Day: The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. - Chinese proverb

Am I the only one who wants to puke at the idea of eating contests? Or, even worse, restaurants that offer mammoth-sized portions of food. Yes, yes, I know. I don't have to watch the contests or order these mega-sized dishes. However, when our world leaders still can't seem to figure out how to feed every one on the planet, we're in a serious global recession, and obesity is rampant, isn't it just plain disgusting that gorging oneself has become sport?

I'm a foodie so I totally enjoy a great meal but why exactly would someone willingly ingest a portion of food that weighs more than most newborn babies? And why are young children suffering from things like heart disease, diabetes and other ailments that tend to affect people much older? For that matter, why do most 5th graders outweigh me and I'm a few decades older?

"El Nino" taco (featured on the blog "This is why you're fat")

I'm too annoyed to eat.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

JSTD: H1N1 prevention

Whether you're traveling or staying home, it's best to find out as much as you can about the H1N1 flu (formerly known as "swine flu"). Check the CDC's dedicated webpage for information about prevention and treatment.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Adventurous accommodations

Today's Annoyance: Cookie-cutter hotel designs
Mantra of the Day: The great advantage of a hotel is that it's a great refuge from home life. - George Bernard Shaw

I'm surprised that I have yet to invest in hotels because I absolutely love them. The more interesting the design, the better. Here are five interesting hotels that I have read about, a few of which I plan to enjoy in the near future and a few which are cool but definitely not high on my list of places to stay.

Hotel de Glace (Canada)

Burj Al Arab (Dubai)

Jumbo Hostel (Sweden)

Poseidon Undersea Resort (Fiji)

Yunak Cave Hotel (Turkey)

Guess which is which!

[IMAGES: Courtesy of offbeattravel, designgonewild, elitechoice, Poseidon Resorts, Yunak Cave Hotel]

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

JSTD: Escape the burn

Avoid sunburns by setting your cell phone's alarm to remind you to turnover. (Funny how people forget that cell phones have an alarm feature.) Naturally, you shouldn't ever forget to wear sunscreen!

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Ava's Faves: Sheath dresses

Today's Annoyance: My increasingly small closet
Mantra of the Day: What a strange power there is in clothing. - Isaac Bashevis Singer

Is it possible not to feel like a total girlie girl in a sheath dress?

These dresses look good with flats, strappy sandals, pumps, or wedges. It's about as close to fashion perfection as you can get!

Monday, October 19, 2009

JSTD: Easily locate your hotel

To simplify language issues, cab rides and getting help if you get lost, write down your hotel's address and phone number and keep it in your pocket or shoe. When you check in, it's also a good idea to grab one of the hotel's business cards and keep it with you, separate from your purse, wallet and money.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

New giveaway: TravelSmith Doorstop Alarm

A few months ago, I advised you to carry a doorstop as an extra travel insurance policy for potential intruders. TravelSmith has been kind enough to sponsor this week's giveaway and the prize is...you guessed it, a doorstop alarm. Not only will it prevent forced entry, it packs a 100-decibel alarm that sounds off if someone tries to force open your hotel room door. That would definitely make me feel safer.

Ready to win it? Here's what you do:

THE RULES:
You have 3 different ways to enter (max entries = 3):

1. 1 entry for leaving a comment below naming your favorite TravelSmith travel accessory.

2. 1 entry for sending a tweet about the giveaway on Twitter. Be sure to reference my Twitter account - @avapierce - in your announcement so that you receive an entry.

3. 1 entry for leaving a relevant comment on any of my other blog posts. (Spam and single-word comments don't count. As usual, comments posted before today don't count.)

The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends on Friday, October 23, 2009.

One winner will be selected using Random.org and will be announced on my blog and via Twitter on Monday, October 26. You must check the site to see if you've won; all the more reason for you to subscribe via e-mail or RSS! ;o) The winner must contact me by e-mail (ava AT avapierce DOT com) within three days of the announcement to claim their prize. If the winner does not claim their prize within that time period, another name will immediately be drawn for the prize.

E-mail me with any questions: ava AT avapierce DOT com.

Friday, October 16, 2009

JSTD: Find more reasons to go

As if you need more reasons to travel! Just in case you do, or if you want to find more cool stuff to do in your destination city, use Eventful.com.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

New giveaway winner for Stephanie Johnson Glitter Bag

Can you believe that Vanessa didn't claim the Stephanie Johnson Glitter Bag?

Well, according to Random.org, her loss is #23's gain; so Beth (pbclark@), if you want the prize, you need to send me your contact info (ava AT avapierce DOT com) by Monday, October 19 @ 11:59 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned for another fab giveaway next week!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

JSTD: Pack like a jet setter

Never forget to pack anything by using OMGStyle's jet set packing checklist.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

JSTD: Avoid global cooties

Use HealthMap to receive alerts about global disease outbreaks. A jet-setter-in-training can't afford to be slowed down by cooties!

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Bravo to Brigitte!

Today's Annoyance: Photoshop abuse
Mantra of the Day: Curve: The loveliest distance between two points. Mae West

Major kudos go to popular German women's magazine, Brigitte, for replacing professional models with pictures of "real life" women. Beginning next year, the mag will feature images of students, executives, musicians and athletes. Hooray!!

While I do enjoy fashion magazines, it has become quite insufferable to see the overly-Photoshop'd images of surgically-enhanced, super-skinny 14-year-olds with way too much makeup.

Let's see how quickly other women's fashion mags get a clue...

[IMAGE: Unique Magazines]

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

JSTD: Enjoy the airport amenities

Airports Council International features a great list of airport passenger services, entertainment and recreation. Check the site before you go to make the most of your stopover.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by:

Fun at the airport

Today's Annoyance: Short stopovers at fabulous airports with kick-ass amenities
Mantra of the Day: A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. Lao Tzu

Being stuck at the airport is becoming increasingly less of a pain. Based on most of the previously available airport entertainment options (or lack thereof), I always come prepared with a book, a magazine, and my laptop. Other than that, I shop at the Duty Free, people-watch and/or eat at one of the many restaurants.

Ah, but airport entertainment is changing quickly. Some airports have upgraded to offer reclining lounge chairs, napping facilities where you can shower and sleep for a few hours, fitness centers and nature walks. Now, while I'm waiting for my next flight, I can go for a swim in Singapore, get a massage in Tokyo, see fabulous sculptures, paintings and photographs in San Francisco, or gamble in Amsterdam.

Singapore Changi Airport

I'll bet someone has already planned to build airport condos.

Ciao for now,

[IMAGE: Courtesy of BusinessWeek]

Monday, October 12, 2009

JSTD: Social travel planning

Planning a family reunion, girlfriend getaway or mancation? Try using GoPlanit. You can create an itinerary, invite your friends, get personalized recommendations, keep your calendars in sync, and print maps.

Jet Set Tip of the Day sponsored by: