www.jazsa.com

Joining Coastal Vacations Club has made it affordable for me to travel on a whim—even just for a good meal. I simply wouldn’t dream of visiting certain places without partaking in that town’s specialty foods. I couldn’t write this as a top 10 list as I originally intended. The flavors and foods are all wonderful and unique so we’ll just eat our way west to east.

In Alaska, salmon is the specialty. I had my first salmon in an Alaska Railroad dining car, but now I head for the more stationary Phylis’s Cafe and Salmon Bake in downtown Anchorage. Outdoor patio dining is the way to go here to enjoy the midnight sun in Summer.

Much of the southwest was once part of Mexico and the foods of that country are still the specialty there. In Tucson, you don’t even have to leave the airport to get some of the best Mexican food in town. El Charro Cafe is located upstairs near ticketing. I recommend the tortilla soup, and all the meals are authentic Mexican here.

Kansas City is BBQ country and Arthur Bryant’s is arguably the best in town. It’s not fancy, but you’ll find pictures of presidents, and the rich and famous chowing down, hanging on the walls. It’s a short walk from the original 18th and Brooklyn location to the Negro League Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum. Don’t miss them.

Speaking of Jazz, You can’t go to New Orleans without sampling Cajun food in the French Quarter while taking in the live music. It’s an experience for all the senses. Don’t forget to cap it off (or start your morning) with hot begnets and cafe ole at Cafe du Monde.

Florida is a favorite destination of mine, so we’ll make two stops there. I haven’t found bad Cuban food yet exploring the restaurants in Little Havana near Miami International Airport. Meals usually include rice, black beans and fried plantains with the main dish. Up the coast, Cocoa Beach brings memories of long walks on the shore, shuttle launches, and rock shrimp. I really dig in hear. Florida’s Seafood is “where shrimp happens” and they serve it by the pound.

As a huge baseball fan, Chicago is Wrigley Field, and of course a Chicago dog off the cart behind home plate. In New York, it’s a different kind of hot dog at Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island. I couldn’t visit the big apple without having a few sauerkraut and mustard dogs. Take in a minor league Brooklyn Cyclones game while you’re here.

Boston has great pizza and chowder, but we need to get to Maine for lobster. Boston residents don’t think twice about taking a two hour drive for that state’s specialty. If you’re flying into Logan Airport and don’t want to rent a car, Concord Trailways offers express bus service to Portland. Lobster doesn’t get any fresher than the many restaurants along the waterfront in Portland. If you found the ferry terminal, you’re in the right neighborhood. Work off dinner with a long walk through the dock area.

If you’ve taken the entire trip with me, your cloths are a little tight now. Venture up the road another 15 miles to Freeport and the L L Bean flagship store. We need some loose fitting threads so we can eat our way back out west.

Dean Marino is now a full time Internet entrepreneur, author, and sales consultant, after 22 years in the auto finance business. He has traveled extensively and has aligned himself with the Coastal Vacations Club after an exhaustive search. Learn more about it at http://www.passivecoastalincome.com.

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Ok, this is a rather tongue-in-cheek article since I’m not a big shot, a high roller or a celebrity-look-alike trophy wife. But I am a rabid observer of people and Las Vegas is one of the best places to observe the big shots.

I’m talking the rich of the rich here - the ultra, mega-watt, oil-barren, Gucci dripping rich. So you’re going to Las Vegas and you want to look like a big shot?

Here are 3 ways to look like a big shot in Vegas and have people falling all over themselves to serve you.

#1) Mind the Details

Truly rich people - true big shots - know about the details and can easily spot a fake because most of those people don’t mind the details.

What kind of details? The small things like your nails, your hair, your purse, your shoes, your cufflinks, or your watch.

For example, you can have the designer blouse and tailored tweed pants - but if you’re purse is a Wal-mart special, you’re sunk. Mind the details and even the hardened casino hostesses will be fooled.

Even if you relax on the big stuff - mind the details and people will ‘just know’ you’re one of the big players because the details are right.

#2) Mind Your Movements

Having sat and watched the ultra rich for hours on end, I’ve noticed something that no one else is pointing out - big shots move differently.

If you don’t believe me just grab a seat at the Bellagio or the Venetian in Las Vegas and watch them.

You’ll notice a distinct difference in the way the big shots move. Even if they’re wearing jeans and sneakers, you can still see it.

Big shots move like big shots. A little slower than the rest of us, they’re in no hurry because the world comes to them. They have a calm demeanor that seems to say ‘I can buy this place if I want to’.

The next time you want to look like a big shot, slow down your movements and add a little extra lazy confidence to your gestures - people will be staring at you wondering ‘Who is THAT?’

#3) Mind Your Manners - But Not The Way Mom Told You

Most of us are used to being polite, even timid when it comes to social settings like restaurants, coffee shops, stores, etc. But the big shots can often be - well - bold and outrageously assertive.

They aren’t timid or even polite at times. They go after what they want, with a calm deserving attitude. If they want to sit somewhere and the hostess is heading in the other direction, they stop her and tell her they want to sit ‘over there’. If they want their cafe latte a certain way they very specifically tell the server what they want - and they won’t settle for anything less.

We may see these people and think ‘How rude!’ but the truth is that they get what they want. They send the subliminal message that they will have their way, one way or another.

I’m not telling you to be rude. In fact, true big shots recognize that real class involves being kind - to everyone. But make sure you go after what you want in social settings. Adopt the attitude that you deserve it - and you’ll quickly be recognized as the ultimate big shot. People will be falling all over themselves to accommodate you.

So those are 3 ways to look like a big shot in Las Vegas (or anywhere else for that matter). Of course if these fail you can always just book a suite at the Bellagio, rent a thousand dollar mink coat and hire a white limo with a tuxedoed driver. That works too.

Cait Farrell is a contributing writer for Book Vegas Online - a website helping you save hundreds of dollars on your next Las Vegas vacation.

For more tips on how to have your dream Las Vegas vacation visit our Vegas Tips section at:

http://www.BookVegasOnline.com/Las_Vegas_Travel_Tips.html

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The time spent anticipating a holiday often seems immeasurable next to the seemingly short time it takes to actually experience the holiday. Before you know it, your getaway is over, you’re on your way back to your day-to-day routines, and you’re not quite sure when you’ll be able to take your next getaway. No one wants a holiday to end; but seeing as how they can’t last forever, there is a way to ensure that you make the absolute most of your current - and future - travels.

If each of your trips worked towards earning you another holiday, you’d undoubtedly travel - and relax - a bit more. That’s precisely why travel reward schemes have gained such immense popularity over the years. People love to travel; and when their travels further their chances of getting away, they simply can’t lose. And aside from heightening holiday opportunities, reward schemes offer members a host of exclusive services, amenities, privileges and tailored benefits which only work to make their holiday experiences more remarkable.

The two most widespread travel reward schemes involve flight and hotel programmes; and while such programmes were initially based on partnerships between credit card companies and either hotels or airlines, you’ll nowadays find that many hotels and airlines operate their very own reward schemes. When you book your stay with a participating hotel on a recurring basis, you’ll earn ‘points’ for another visit with them at the destination of your choice. Similarly, if you fly on a regular basis with a reward-scheme airline, you’ll earn miles towards a flight to any destination.

There are even a number of multi-reward programmes which combine various aspects of travel, such as flights, hotels and car rentals under a single reward scheme. What’s more, membership is often free - so all you have to do to earn points is to travel - and enjoy your trip - as you normally would. You’ll earn a wealth of rewards in no time, which means another terrific holiday is on the horizon; and rest assured that the process of claiming points or rewards is always simple.

It’s often suggested that people who don’t travel in abundance choose and stick to a single reward programme. With all of their travel ‘points’ and credits going towards a single scheme, they’ll be able to claim their reward much sooner than if their points are scattered among various programmes.

But that being said, there are a number of great reward schemes to choose from - and if there’s one way to make the most of your travels, it’s to ensure that each trip works towards earning you another fantastic holiday.

Michael is a keen writer living in Edinburgh. Michael’s Website: Taxis Belfast

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