Up, Up, and A Gay, a recently discovered blog from another Flight Attendant, dishes about why we’re always dishing about work.  It’s true, too!

Los Angeles Times tries to makes sense of the security rule regarding exact name matchups.  There may be flexibility now, but what little there is will be going away soon.

The Venice Guide captured my attention again this week with a post about the etiquette of dining in Italy.  If you’re planning a trip there, give this post a once over.

Consumer Traveler enters the debate about travel agents being charged fees to book tickets on United.  No matter which side wins this battle, it’s us travelers who will wind up paying.

Gadling reviews a gadget with a name too long to remember.  Bottom line, though, is this little gem will help you get better wi-fi reception in hotels.

The Rio Guide gives suggestions for saving on your food budget by hitting up the right supermarkets.

Intelligent Travel tempts us to the 49th state with a post about Homer, Alaska.

Wanderlust and Lipstick has a travel writing contest.  You can win a 12-day culture and spa tour of Vietnam.

The Miami Guide writes about the story behind Vizcaya, a landmark property along the Miami shore.  You may want to catch the upcoming PBS documentary about it, too.

Tripbase lists 20 ways to screw up your Labor Day road trip.  These are good trips for any time at all.

Ron Dubin Photography has a great shot of Los Angeles and the smoke blanketing the city from the aggressive forest fires.

Traveling the Green Way reviews recycled travel speakers from OrigAudio.  Compact and green, what a great combo.

USA Today writes about the conception vacation promotion.  Provide some medical documentation to support your claim that your baby was conceived while vacationing at the The Westin Resort on Aruba, and get a credit for a return visit.

Photo credit: SXC

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Well, it wasn’t really swimming, it was more of a shallow wading experience.  But it was great fun, and one of those experiences that I heartily recommend.

I’ll have more of the details of the whole experience, but for now you can take a look at “Doe” and I.

Photo credit:  Miami Seaquarium

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Texas de Brazil is a churrascaria restaurant – a special heaven for meat lovers!

Based on a concept from the Gauchos (South American cowboys), the churrascaria provides a variety of meats roasted on an open pit.  Offered on skewers, and carved tableside, the grilled meat is accompanied by salads, vegetables, rice, beans, and other side dishes.

Want to try a little sirloin, they’ll carve you off a slice.  Maybe a bit of new york?  Sure, you can have that too.  With some carefully structured taste testing, you’ll enjoy the subtle differences between the taste of the different cuts of this Angus beer.  Chicken, lamb, pork, and sausage are also served.

To really get in the Brazilian mood, try a Caipirinha, a classic Brazilian cocktail made of Cachaca (a sugar cane rum), sugar, lime, and crushed ice.  Refreshingly delicious!

Dinner is one-priced, and does not include drinks, alcohol, dessert, tax or gratuity.  Children aged 7-12 are half price, and children 6 and under dine FREE.

Texas de Brazil is located at The Dolphin Mall, 11401 NW 12th Street, Suite 514 in Miami.  It is open for lunch Monday through Friday, and for dinner daily.  Brunch is available on weekends.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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If you haven’t been to Miami, you’ve probably seen it in the movies or on television:  Miami Vice, CSI:  Miami, Top Chef (3rd season), There’s Something About Mary, Wild Things, Marley & Me, The Birdcage, and several James Bond movies.

Or you may be familiar with the music of Miami:  Gloria Estefan lives here, plus there’s the Cuban beat, merengue, calypso, reggae, and the sound of steel drum bands.

Or, you may know if from its sports teams, the Heat, the Marlins, the Dolphins, the Panthers, and the many, many college teams that dot the area.

For vacations, there’s warm weather, beaches, shopping, restaurants galore, music, culture (a new Performing Arts Center), water sports, flora and fauna unseen in other parts of the US, and people who welcome travelers with a big smile and a warm welcome to a city of many flavors.  It’s also a very family friendly city.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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There’s sun!  And coming from Seattle, there’s a lot to like about the sun!

I spent much of today out on the water of Key Biscayne, enjoying a little sun and getting into a little different state of mind.

I spent time aboard one of the boats from Island Queen Cruises, enjoying a nice lunch buffet, cocktails, and great company.  They have sightseeing cruises starting at $25/person, with an internet discount available.   and it’s wonderful way to enjoy time on the water, enjoy a great view of the city, and catch a glimpse of the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

We cruised what’s known as Millionaire’s Row on Star Island, an assortment of fabulous mansions owned by celebrities and other prominent people.  Some of the residents included Rosie O’Donnell, Donald Pliner (of gorgeous shoe and boot fame), Julio Iglesias, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and Sean Combs.  No star sightings, nor invitations for cocktails or dinner.

Shaquille O’Neal’s has a place there that is up for sale, complete with a 75 foot salt water lap pool.  Price tag on the mansion is reported to be a cool 23 million.

Photo credits:  all from personal collection

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This Halloween event features age appropriate activities for the entire family, including:

• Trick-or-treating with costumes and candy
• Field of Screams featuring rides, slides and a skeleton walk
• The Frightening Manor – a kid-friendly haunted house
• Trail of Terror Haunted House
• Fall Harvest Festival with pumpkin carving contest, games, and activities
• Grand finale fireworks

The Bash is open October 24-26th, 31st, from 5 – 10 pm.  Daytime guest are invited to stay for the night time fun at no additional charge.  Special admission for the Bash (entry after 5 pm) is $24.95 for adults and $21.95 for kids ages 3 – 12, plus tax. 

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit The Children’s Trust, a Miami foundation.  Be sure to check out the special Children’s Trust Miami Heart Gallery at the Seaquarium, an exhibit featuring over 70 children in the foster care system who are available for adoption.

The Miami Seaquarium is located at 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami, Florida.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Today is Admission Day for Florida, our 27th state, admitted to the Union on March 3rd, 1845.

Florida is located in the southeastern part of the country, with the Atlantic Ocean flanking one side, and the Gulf of Mexico the other.  Ponce de Leon named it, and many believe that it was in Florida that he claimed to have found his fountain of youth.

Before the formal declaration of Civil War, Florida seceded from the Union, and became a founding member of the Confederate States of America.  Full representation was restored in 1868.

For much of its existence, Florida was the least populated southern state.  By the mid-20th century, however, many residents were leaving the frigid weather of the northeastern US, looking for the temperate climes found in Florida.  Today, Florida is the second most populated of the southern states (behind Texas), and is the fourth most populated state in the country ““ quite a turnaround.

The capital city is Tallahassee, the largest city is Jacksonville, and the largest metropolitan area is Miami.  Other large cities include:  Tampa, St. Petersburg, Hialeah, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale.

Tourism is the largest industry in the “Sunshine State,” as Florida is known, in large part due to its warm, tropical weather and hundred of miles of beaches.  There are scores of amusement parks, and supporting businesses, including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and others.

For such a sunny state, however, Florida has its share of extreme and severe weather.  Central Florida is known as the lightning capital of the United States, the state has the highest average precipitation of any state in the country, and tornadoes and hurricanes have become an all to frequent occurrence.  On a brighter note, however, snow if very, very rare.

Trailing tourism in the state economy is agriculture, mainly citrus fruit (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines), but also sugarcane and celery.  Other Florida industries include phosphate mining, and the aerospace industry.  Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center (photo of launch pad at right) are both located in Florida.

While rich in many things, Florida has its share of poverty, too.  The 2002 Census revealed that Miami was the poorest city in the United States.  By the time of the 2004 Census, they had moved up a little, to the third poorest city.

I’ve been to Florida many, many times, primarily visiting the Miami and Orlando area.  In fact, I’ll be in Florida again this month, and am looking forward to the respite from the unseasonably cold Seattle weather.  Here are a couple of my favorite things to do when I’m in Florida:

• Tours of Kennedy Space Center
• Looking at memorabilia at the Astronaut Hall of Fame
• Shopping at Ron Jon’s Surf Shop
• Wading in the Atlantic Ocean and frolicking on the sand in Cocoa Beach (anyone else out there remember Cocoa Beach from the television show “I Dream of Jeanie?”)
• People watch along Ocean Drive in South Beach

Of course, there are still lots of things left on my list of things that I’d like to do or see:

• Take an airboat ride in the Everglades
• Spend some relaxing time in the Florida Keys
• Visit the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersurg

What are your favorite things to do in Florida?

Photo credit:  Launch pad, Miami Beach

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Situated among all the frivolity, however, is the Holocaust Memorial, a dramatic tribute to the six million Jewish Victims of World War II.  The site was designed by architect and sculptor Kenneth Treister, who was charged with interpreting the events of the Holocaust into a memorial that would honor the dead, comfort the survivors, and inform the world of this dark period of history.

The Memorial opened to the public in February 1990, with a dedication by Nobel laureate, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel.

It is hard to explain how something that is so very painful, can also be so very beautiful, but that is an apt description.  Constructed with contrasting elements of Jerusalem stone and black granite, and then set in the still waters of a reflecting pool, the site is one of those places that may just be everything to everyone. 

On one of the granite wall panels is the history of the Holocaust, from 1933-1945, along with pictorial depictions of events and experiences from that time.  Other panels have become a Memorial Wall, with the names of victims inscribed in it, much like the Vietnam Memorial.  How very sad to see the names of entire families that were lost. 

By far the most dramatic presentation of the Memorial is a 42-foot high bronze arm and hand, looking like it is coming out of the earth and grasping toward the sky.  Close to 100 figures, in different family groupings, are struggling to climb up the arm, symbolizing the pain and despair of a man-made hell.  The hand at the top of the arm bears an identification number.

Although the immense tragedy and pain of the Holocaust can never be summed up in such a simple statement, I’d like to think that out of all evil shall come good, and that the Memorial provides visitors with a way out of their pain.

Location:  1933-1945 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach (Meridian Avenue & Dade Blvd)

Hours:  9 am-9 pm Daily.

Admission:  There is no admission charge; donations gratefully accepted.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Relaxing around the house and eating leftovers?  Watching football?  Listening to holiday music and putting up the holiday decorations?  Or are you one of the many, many people who will be heading out to the stores for the kick off of the holiday shopping season?

No matter how we may rebel, there’s no getting around the fact that the upcoming holiday season means shopping.  I hope to make that process a little easier for you, by showcasing a variety of products and services that would make great gifts for travelers and travel lovers.

Today’s suggestion is a city map.  While you may need a map for a variety of reasons (planning a route, figuring out how to get from Point A to Point B quickly, trying to decide which way is north), many times what you really need is a map to tell you where things are.  That’s why I’m a big fan of the Red Maps series.

For example, if you are looking at the New York City – Midtown Red Map, you would know that if you come out of the front door of Sak’s Fifth Avenue (Fifth Avenue between 49th & 50th) and turn right you will find:  St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Armani AX, H Stern, Gant, Gianni Versace, and Cartier.  If you had turned left, you would find American Girl, Benetton’s, and Sephora.  And across the street from Sak’s you will find Kenneth Cole, Cole-Haan, and the promenade to Rockefeller Center.  This is the stuff that you really need to know when you’re in a city environment.

Red Maps aren’t just about shopping either.  It lists the streets, parks, major attractions, of course, and also museums, stores, libraries, hospitals, neighborhoods, galleries, hotels, gardens, and lots more.  These maps won’t be the only ones that you need, but they are a wonderful resource for getting around the city core.  I have several.

Red Maps are available for U.S. cities:  Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City (Chelsea, Downtown, Midtown, SoHo), Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.  International cities available:  Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Venice.  They retail for around $6, and are also available in multi-packs for large cities that require more than one map.

You can purchase Red Maps at Amazon (aff), and at many bookstores.  You can check here for a list of stores in your area.

If you have travel lovers on your shopping list, you’ll want to be a regular reader of Fly Away Café.  You can subscribe by email in the subscription box in the left side bar, add the RSS feed to your reader in the right side bar, or simply come back to this site every single day.

Happy shopping!

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Miami officials want all workers, including janitors and barristas, to receive the training, instead of only security and law enforcement personnel.

“Every employee who works around [the] airport goes to the bathroom and goes to lunch, and wherever they are, they’re going to be trained to recognize behavior that is suspicious,” airport spokesman Greg Chin said.

Although variations of the program have been offered at other airports, Miami International, serving over 88,000 passengers daily, would be the first airport to have ALL of its employees trained.

Photo credit:  flickr

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