The 2014 Kia Cadenza

Last week I was invited to test drive the 2014 Kia Cadenza along with a small group of other bloggers and auto journalists. The location Kia chose couldn’t have been more beautiful; we arrived in San Diego on Wednesday afternoon and took a short ride 20 miles north to Del Mar, an oceanside resort town. We stayed at the L’Auberge Del Mar, a 120 room boutique hotel on a hill overlooking the ocean. Our views were spectacular.

I heard repeated apologies from Southern Californians for the “May Gray” (overcast skies) we were experiencing, which made me laugh; I was steps from the ocean — close enough to hear it! Coming from dry, dusty West Texas, what did I have to complain about?

It was in front of the L’Auberge where I was first introduced to the 2014 Cadenza, Kia’s new luxury sedan. The funny thing is that the Cadenza had been parked right there when I first arrived — a little to the side of the valet stand and on the left of the drive-through circle — where the valet might put one of the hotel’s guest’s nicer cars. Good thing it wasn’t a snake, or it might have bit me, because I didn’t even give it a second glance; the car fit in well with its surroundings.  It was only later, when I came down for dinner, that I realized I had completely overlooked the star of this week’s show. This oversight would actually help me form my opinion about the Cadenza as the event went on.

2014 White Kia Cadenza

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Our time in Jamaica is over… for now… But the memories of our week down there won’t end any time soon. Had had a great time having a beachfront villa for the four of us but were happy to mix some fun excursions in with the lazy days reading, eating, playing cards and… eating. I posted the other day on our visit to Dunn’s River Falls. If you go to Jamaica it is an absolutely must. Check out the post.

Then, this past Thursday, we headed toward Ocho Rios again but stopped short, this time. We stopped at Chukka’s Cranbrook, Ocho Rios location. This trail, which cuts through the Cranbrook Flower Forest is the location of the Chukka Zipline Canopy Adventure. The seven lines range from 105 feet to 660 feet in length would have us swinging through the Laughlands River gorge, a “giant valley carved from the surrounding mountain by ancient waters”.

The facility, opened some eight years ago on the grounds of an old plantation is the closest you’ll safely get to being lost in a jungle. Our driver turned off the main road and drove for quite some time away from the beach and toward the interior of the island. We then transferred to an open vehicle and drove further up and into the interior. It was a bumpy ride that saw a significant increase in altitude. We were happy about that since we knew what would come next- much of our descent would occur on zip lines. The ride, an experience unto itself ended in what could only be described as the middle of nowhere. I quickly gained an appreciation of what Robinson Crusoe or Gilligan and his crew would have felt had they actually existed. (Although Ginger and Mary Ann don’t hold a candle to Elana and my brother-in-law’s girlfriend!)

A quick safety orientation later and we were zipping along in the canopy of the Jamaican jungle. Now Elana, Judie and Kevin can attest to the fact that I encountered ROA (Rapid Onset Acrophobia) while walking across Hoover Dam last year. I was all but paralyzed! This fear of heights surprised me since it had not previously been part of my portfolio of phobias. I had even gone repelling in the Negev Desert in college! Elana wondered if I would be okay on the zip lines since they were high up in the jungle canopy. I was thanks to the fact that we were triple secured to the zip line. Yes, we were high up but it was just fun jumping from each of the seven platforms and sailing through to jungle rather than scary.

Before we left I put my iPhone 5 back in the LifeProof case. That was all good and well except I need some way to secure it to me. After all I would be holding onto the zip-line while coming down. After some experimentation I determined that my best option was to put the iPhone and LifeProof case into the dryCASE I reviewed last January. (Check it out.) While the LifeProof case supplied all the watertight protection I needed the DryCASE came with an armband. That meant I could put my iPhone inside the DryCASE, wrap the armband around my arm, set the iPhone to record and take it from there. And that’s exactly what I did. Here’s a look.

We passed through the seven zip lines and one vertical drop far too quickly. Before we knew it the zipping was done. Fortunately our excursion wasn’t. Despite having covered a good bit of ground from the air we still had a significant walk back to the base station. That’s when we got our next surprise- a botanical tour of the vegetation.

One of our guides was impressive in her knowledge about the flora and fauna in the Jamaican interior and she shared some of it as we walked along. Here’s a look at just some of what we saw.

I’m often skeptical about these all-too-often touristy outings. This was one tourist experience that is worth the time away from the beach and the rather hefty price. (It was almost $100 per person, plus the tip, plus the transportation there and back. We even dropped $100 on a CD of pictures!) It was money well spent and I’ll definitely be doing it the next time we visit Jamaica. I’m already making plans.

My family and I are here in Jamaica, mon – enjoying the sun, the warmth and the beauty of this lush tropical island. Yesterday we ate breakfast and then set out for a trip to Dunn’s River Falls – about 45 minutes from our villa. Dunn’s River Falls is in an area the Spanish called “Las Chorreras”, or “the waterfalls or the springs”. Over time “Las Chorreras” became “Ocho Rios” or “eight rivers”. This despite the fact that there are just four, rather than eight, rivers here. Those four rivers are Cave River, Roaring River, Turtle River and of course Dunn’s River.

Dunn’s River Falls is said to be the location of the battle of “Las Chorreras” in 1657. That battle for the ownership of the island of Jamaica was between the English and a Spanish Expeditionary Force from Cuba. The English and Charles Pryce became the first owner of “Las Chorreras”. Eventually, it became part of the 276 acres Belmont property.

In 1972 the Belmont property became property of the government of Jamaica, and Dunn’s River Falls became a main island attraction.

Dunn’s River Falls offers 600 feet of waterfall that flows directly into the Caribbean Sea. That is, in and of itself unusual, since it is one of the only rivers that flow directly into the Caribbean.

As many guidebooks note, it is popular to climb the falls and hang out in one of the lagoons on the way up. That’s what we did.

Even if you have not been to Jamaica, you might recognize Dunn’s River Falls as it was featured in the James Bond Movie “Dr. No”. In one scene Ursula Andress walks out from the falls onto Dunn’s River beach.

Dunn’s River Falls is beautiful. Loud flowing water, amazingly lush tropical plants, air-cooled by the splashing water and tropical birds flying by all combine to make a place unlike any other. Mix in the challenge of climbing over slipper rocks while water races by – and at —  you, and you have a terrific way to spend a morning or afternoon

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Dunn’s River Falls is awesome, and it is a visit I encourage anyone going to Jamaica to make. There was some gear that made the trip even better, and I thought I might share some of the items; so here’s a rundown of my Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear.

Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear #1: Vibram Five Fingers

I wanted to make sure I could run while here in Jamaica, but I also wanted to pack lightly. That’s why, when all was said and done, I brought my Vibram Five Fingers shoes. They are great for running, but they are also good for simply walking around. Little did I know they would come in handy at Dunn’s River Falls. All the guidebooks made clear the fact that good shoes with decent traction are a must, and they weren’t kidding. The rocks were slippery to begin with. Combine that with water forcefully rushing at you, and shoes that are comfortable, grip well and will stay on no matter what are a must. My Vibrams filled the bill and, as an added bonus, they dried quickly when we were done climbing the falls. Sure, Vibram Five Fingers are just about the ugliest shoes you can buy, but for the comfort and versatility they can’t be beat. Check them out here.

Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear #2: Revo Sunglasses

The jungle canopy at Dunn’s River Falls is thick, but that doesn’t mean the sun doesn’t shine through. I really wanted to keep my eyes protected from the sun, but I also wanted a pair of sunglasses that would stay on without having to use those lame croakies. In addition the glasses need to be waterproof. The Revo Sunglasses I bought during CES 2010 were perfect. Mine have seen a huge amount of use, but they still look brand new. Designed as sport sunglasses, they stay put without the need for extra accessories. Add in the fact that water doesn’t seem to bother them in the least, and you have a great pair of all-around sunglasses. Best of all, they don’t scream “sports sunglasses”… they just are. Check them out.

Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear #3: LifeProof Case for iPhone 5

I’ve professed my fondness for the LifeProof line of cases numerous times over the past few years. I had one of the first LifeProof cases when they were released for the iPhone 4/4S. I was immediately impressed. Then I had the chance to check out the LifeProof Nuud for iPad. It too impressed me.

Then I took my iPod touch 4 to Aruba in a LifeProof case and used it to shoot video when Judie, Kevin and I went snorkeling at a German ship wreck.

I brought my iPhone 5 in a LifeProof case to the falls, and it served me amazingly well. I didn’t have time to test the waterproof nature of the case when I “borrowed” it back from a friend to whom I had lent it, but decided to trust it anyhow. The phone spent much of the climb in my pocket and underwater. I wasn’t worried (much) about it, since I’ve had nothing but good experiences with LifeProof cases. Still, I wish I had been able to cover this review sample with the company’s new “Waterproof Insurance”. (Read all about it.)

All of this video, as well as all the pictures in this and the previous Dunn’s River Falls post, were shot while my iPhone was tucked safely inside. Get a LifeProof case here from our Amazon Affiliate Store.

Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear #4: A Tilley Hemp Hat

I didn’t actually end up wearing my Tilley Hat while climbing the falls, but this hat is a great travel companion. It is made from hemp so you know it is tough. It comes from Tilley Endurables so you know it will stand the test of time, and it is comfortable. Seriously, even if you don’t wear hats all that often, this is one you will enjoy having and using. The TH5 Tilley Hemp Hat is a medium brim hat made from hemp fabric. It is naturally resistant to UV light, mold, mildew, and salt water. Best of all it is tough. My Tilley Hemp hat has been to the Caribbean numerous times, Israel twice, Jordan and assorted other destinations. As someone who can be a bit sun sensitive, I have found using it to be a great way to stay protected. Check out the Tilley TH5 here.

Dunn’s River Falls Survival Gear #5: Discovery Trekking Towels and T-Shirts

I recently reviewed Discovery Trekking’s towel offerings. (Read the review.) The towels are light weight, pack small and dry quickly. They are a fantastic travel partner, and the company also makes t-shirts from the same material. (Actually the t-shirts came first!) I liked the towels enough that I bought a few t-shirts before we came down to Jamaica. I wore one of them while we climbed Dunn’s River falls, and I was impressed with how comfortable it was when wet and how quickly it dried when we were done. You can check out the towels here.

The New Santa Fe in front of the Coronado marina

As I had written previously, the folks at Hyundai took a group of ‘social bloggers’ to Park City, UT last August to introduce the new 2013 Santa Fe Sport. My review was highly favorable, but what was missing for me was the full-sized Santa Fe 6/7 passenger model – Hyundai teased that model, but we weren’t allowed to take pictures, get in or even touch the pre-production model they brought. However, they told us that once it was ready to launch we would be able to get a hands-on look. This weekend the made good on that promise, as Hyundai took a bunch of social bloggers to Coronado to test drive the new Santa Fe.

I will have a full drive experience report coming soon, but for now I wanted to give a quick overview of a few things that shaped the experience including the Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado itself, the food, and of course our first glimpse at the new Santa Fe.

The view from my room once the clouds cleared in the early afternoon. Gorgeous

Coronado is a peninsula that is separated from San Diego by water, and was bought by two men Buford & Story in 1886 for $110,000. The two men had made their fortunes helping to shape the rail system, and had taken to going to Coronado for hunting trips. At the time it was populated mostly by small game, but the two men had thoughts of transforming it into a destination for other like-minded people. To do this they decided to build a hotel and later engage in planning the design of a community, and the Hotel Del Coronado opened for business in 1888. They are marking 125 years of continuous operation, and it remains a luxurious destination that continues to attract presidents and other dignitaries and offers an amazing vacation spot for couples and families.

Looking back up at the hotel from the beach walk

As someone who grew up — and lived until recently — in the Boston area, I have always loved places rich in history and distinctive styling – the famous Colonial Inn in Concord is one of my favorite places to stay. The Hotel Del Coronado was built on a tight schedule without a proper architect or blueprints, working only from a rough work up of an exterior model. As a result, the interior design is best described as erratic or charming, depending on how you view such things. Another bit of history is that there is a mysterious ghost who purportedly haunts the hotel … her name is Kate Morgan, and she supposedly inhabits a room at the hotel where she is a benevolent spirit. A few folks in our group had issues with lights turning off and on, things getting unplugged and even with items going missing and later reappearing in random places; a few of the ladies had a sleepover because of this!

The main entry way into the hotel

Much of the hotel is original, from the redwood in the foyer to the tongue & groove crown room, to the uneven floors and winding halls and more. There is still an elevator operator on the formerly steam-powered bird-cage elevator! But it has also been modernized with all of the things you would expect from a 5 star resort, and all of the additions have been streamlined to match the original styling. The grounds are impeccable, and they were designed so that European visitors accustomed to lush gardens would be impressed … I know I certainly was!

From the second floor including the main chandelier

How do I know so much about the hotel and Coronado? Hyundai arranged a history tour of the hotel with the local chamber of commerce, giving us insights into our base of operations for the weekend. But it was more than that – they provided a view of the culture of the island, the people who built and grew the community, and the path from a small seasonal resort for the wealthy to a year round destination.

The crown room – all tongue & groove construction, no nails, and crown lighting purportedly designed by Frank L. Baum.

As I mentioned in my recent Monday Mile ‘Your Workout Is Where You Find It’, when I am going to be someplace other than home one of the first things I do is check out the map to figure out a running route. And when I am going to a place like Coronado, I am even more excited by the prospects. I mentioned finding tons of potential running routes in my post about preparing for the trip, but as I was being driven from the airport to the hotel I noticed that the traffic and pedestrian volume and curbside dining along many streets would make most of those routes tricky in the afternoon. Instead, once I got myself checked in and chatted with my wife quickly, I headed down the Silver Strand.

My return running route – there is marina on the right, beach on the left, and the Hotel Del Coronado in the distance

The Silver Strand is the small strip of land that makes Coronado a peninsula rather than an island. It is wide enough for a 2-lane road in both directions along with a bike trail and beach, and narrow enough that you can see both sides at once. The weather was gorgeous – still mostly cloudy, only around 60 degrees … just wonderful. I ran down the beachfront (there is a wide walkway) until I ended up on the Silver Strand road, eventually getting across and onto the bike path. As I got onto the narrow part of the Silver Strand I discovered unpaved paths along the side that went through the garden areas, so I kept to those. I kept going until the GPS chimed 4 miles and then turned around, mirroring the path back to the hotel to end up just under 8 miles; it was glorious.

The Hotel Del Coronado is gorgeous at 5AM as well!

For Saturday and Sunday morning, I was able to get out of the hotel before 5AM to take my planned ‘tour of the island’ route that went along the shore near the marina to near the base of the bridge to the gates of the Naval Air Station to the beach and along the beach path to where it hit the Silver Strand and then back to the hotel. It was right around 7.5 miles and the streets were almost completely clear, allowing me to enjoy only the sounds of birds, waves, my own breathing and footfalls, and the waking up of the Naval Air Station. Finishing with 1.5 mile right along the coast with the crashing waves drowning out the chiming of my Garmin was incredible.

Hard to see, but this is the gate of the Naval Air Station, coming to life at 5AM.

One thing we learned in Park City was that the Hyundai folks would be sure to keep us stylishly fed for the weekend. The Hotel Del Coronado boasts four main restaurants as well as an ice cream shop and pizza shop. That means if you are looking for formal dining, somewhat less formal dining, casual take-out fare, or just some quicker simple food you are covered.

I walked to the water, turned around and … this.

Because the media were arriving all day, Hyundai gave us vouchers for lunch and an ice cream. I really wanted to be outdoors somewhere and found the outdoor restaurant too crowded and closed-in, so I grabbed a to-go turkey & brie sandwich lunch from Babcock & Story. I also grabbed a chocolate mousse dessert in a chocolate cup with fruit inside – I had planned on getting an ice cream but this changed my mind:

Seriously …

After lunch, the tour, and after spending some time wandering around the area, it was time to kick things off for real! Of course, this meant a reception with appetizers and drinks at a reserved area in the formal dining area. This was fun for several reasons – we were outdoors, sampling fresh local seafood and other great ingredients, and meeting old and new friends. Many attendees were also present at Park City, some I knew by name and others by appearance. All of whom it was great to see and catch up. Also, many of the Hyundai folks were the same, from Jim to Rob to Laurie to Linda – and they are all really great folks.

At dinner, Jim laid out the order of events for the next day, and each table had someone from Hyundai to go over things and make sure we were all prepared. But naturally much of the event was about socialization – both in-person and virtual. Hyundai refers to us as the ‘social wave’ and therefore it wasn’t just acceptable for us to be on our phones broadcasting on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc all the time – it was expected. Somewhere in between the time on our phones and the great talk with Liza from AddictedtoSaving and Scott from ChipChick and Laura from BetterinBulk and Laurie from Hyundai, we managed to have a great dinner. I went straight for the steak with asparagus and Creme Brûlée for dessert, with absolutely no regrets!

There were two orders of business before getting out on the road with the New Santa Fe: breakfast and product presentations. Breakfast was memorable not just for more great social interaction – pretty much everyone shifted seats from dinner to interact with a new set of people (except for one person and her minion who strangely remained aloof and mostly separated from the proceedings the whole weekend) – but also due to the presence of Harris’s Hawks. We learned that the hotel brought a pair of these on the grounds for the morning four days a week to deal with seagulls – just the screeching and presence eliminates the gulls for a day or so.

Harris Hawks apparently scare gulls away

And naturally we all wanted to pose with the hawks, as they are well-trained and used to dealing with people.

I wrote about it here but it is hard for me to look at a picture of myself without judging harshly.

After breakfast and fun with the hawks we went through the presentation. I continue to hear about automotive events where there are hours upon hours of presentations and precious little driving, and I was once again glad that with Hyundai that is NOT the case! Jim, Jon Shon and another product manager presented business aspects, competitive insight and technical details of Hyundai and the new Santa Fe. The Santa Fe Sport has gotten a great reception and has sold very well since introduction last summer (as I can attest from how many I have seen around my area), and Hyundai is very well positioned in terms of sales turnover and resale value.

As for the product specifics, I will cover those in the technical minutia of my drive experience, but basically what you are looking at is more than just a 3-row version of the Santa Fe Sport but less than a completely different model. The Santa Fe is longer, taller and has more space, and the back seat (middle row) has been modified to make it very comfortable for passengers but still allow access to the third row.

Hyundai Santa Fes in a row

Once the presentation and hands-on views (and assorted silliness such as seeing how many folks could comfortably sit in the cargo area at once (we did four but could have done five – but it wouldn’t make for such a fun picture!), it was time to hit the road.

Laura, Kas, Becca and Jasmine having fun in the back of the Santa Fe!

The way Hyundai does their drives is using a trip book: there is a lunch destination with a driver-change checkpoint half-way. The route is mapped turn-by-turn in a booklet that ensures you will get to do all types of driving: highway, city, up hill, down hill, narrow and wide roads, twists and turns, and so on. My driving partner was Louise from MomStart – she was fun to chat with, sharing my values of marriage, family and kids. We had a good time throughout the trip, learning about the Santa Fe and fumbling with some of the controls as we explored functionality.

The mid-way point was an off-road overlook area that was a great place for a break and change of drivers, and to find out how others did following directions. Louise mentioned that I was a really good navigator (I am an engineer, so linear mapping is something that comes naturally), but others were not so lucky. Some entered the location into the GPS and were sent mostly along the highway (boring!), others missed turns and ended up nearly crossing the Mexican border, and still others just got lost and ended up using the GPS to get back on track.

The first leg was ~40 miles, and the second part was just under 30 miles to the town of Julian, where at the Julian Grille we were encouraged to make sure to leave room for their famous pie! Both the lunch (veggie sandwich and fruit) and pie (multi-berry with ice cream) were excellent, as I wrote about on Yelp.

If you are in the area, this pie is worth the trip!

After lunch we headed off for the afternoon activity – which would mean another 60 or so miles. Louise was exhausted and asked me to drive, which allowed me to test out the Santa Fe on a mostly highway trip we took to the zoo. I was originally scheduled to go para-gliding and Louise hang-gliding, but she had switched to the San Diego Zoo and since no one had been able to para-glide all week (and since I love the zoo!), we headed to the world-famous San Diego Zoo!

Sadly the line for tours was too long so we didn’t get to ride these

Due to time constraints we knew we would only have about 90 minutes, so we hopped in line for the bus tour of the zoo along with Becca from MommaB Blog and Kas from SouthernBellasWaystoSave. The line was long and slow, but the bus tour was an excellent way to see the majority of the expansive park in as time efficient a way as possible.

Total show-off, doing backflips for the crowd!

My only regret was that we didn’t get to see the panda bears, but as the tour guide noted, pandas are stressed by noise, so the loud bus and tour announcers would pretty well freak them out running by a couple hundred times a day. Jim from Hyundai noted that he needed two trips to get a real feel for the zoo, so maybe I will need a return trip!

Oh … and apparently some of the animals made their way back to the hotel! That is James Hills of ManTripping and Jason Sasaki of SasakiTime.

After a long day with loads of opportunity to drive the new Santa Fe, we headed out for our last dinner. The Hyundai folks had arranged a dinner outing a couple of blocks away at Chez Loma. We had the entire upper floor to ourselves, which was a good thing since the restaurant seemed very intimate and a table for two having to deal with our crew would be sorely disappointed.

The cute little Chez Loma … I bet for a couple it would be nice, which almost makes me feel bad for my Yelp review … almost.

Sometimes a restaurant mistakes the ability to seat a certain number of people with the ability to host a function for a group of that size. For example, a group of 30 people (25 bloggers plus some Hyundai folks) would be ordering around the same time and expect their salads to arrive promptly and pretty much one table after the next. What you wouldn’t expect would be to have ordered salad when it was light as in the picture of the exterior and still have the entire room waiting until it was dark outside:

Coronado has cute views everywhere!

In fact, it was an hour before the first salads appeared (nothing particularly elaborate) … and another 30 minutes before the last table got theirs! So we got bored and took pictures of a tiny baby figurine on a rose. Why? Sit for 90 minutes before getting a salad and ask me again!

As for the food itself, the taste and presentation for MY dinner was very good … unlike anyone who ordered the cold/dry/tough/tasteless/etc scallops. My complaint was that a big reason I chose the duck was because it had sweet potato listed as the side dish – and as you can see there is about a tablespoon of sweet potato on the side almost as a presentation enhancer! Apparently a couple of the other entrees were pretty solid. One fun thing I learned at Chez Loma – when people are waiting for a course while others have already finished, you don’t need worry about over-aggressive wine refills! That makes tracking your intake easier. Sadly, Linda from Hyundai was wearing the stress on her face, so I told her to relax – everything was showing up, we weren’t on a deadline, and she would simply never come here again. She relaxed while chatting, but given the level of perfection she managed throughout the Park City and rest of the Coronado trips, I know she was very upset. Naturally I shared on Yelp.

I am STILL craving sweet potato!

After dinner we headed back to the bar at the Hotel Del Coronado, where a set of tables were reserved – but we were so much later than estimated that there were attempts to take over the seats! Fortunately everything was set up for us when we returned.

It was a great time of chatting and comparing notes and pictures and families and locations and blogs … but eventually it had to end. One thing about being on the fifth floor clear across the hotel was that it allowed me plenty of stair exercise! But I had to take a trip on the bird-cage elevator that still has an operator and was apparently once steam-powered!

The weekend was excellent fun and highly productive, and I will soon post about the featured event for the weekend: the new Santa Fe driving experience. Until then here is a shot of me behind the wheel!

Full disclosure: Hyundai paid for the entire trip including travel, food and lodging, but the opinions expressed are my own.

Sad to leave … but happy to be home!

New Hyundai Santa Fe

Last August the folks at Hyundai took a bunch of non-auto-centric bloggers to Park City, Utah to check out the new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. I described the experience here and the drive test here. It was a great experience, and the only thing missing was the full-sized 3-row Santa Fe. Now that is ready and today I am preparing to check out the New Hyundai Santa Fe !

This time the folks at Hyundai are taking us to Coronado, California. For those who don’t know, Coronado is “an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, across San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego”. We are being put up in the historic Hotel Del Coronado – which looks like an amazing place. Here is a picture I found at this site that shows the hotel in the foreground with the bridge to San Diego in the background. Yeah … I like the looks of this place.

There are two obvious elements about a ‘junket’ like this – the trip and the vehicle. The trip itself seems guaranteed to be every bit as wonderful as the one in August to the Montage Deer Valley resort, and this time rather than Olympic Park we get to choose between visiting the San Diego Zoo or going hang-gliding/paragliding! If you know me, you can guess my choice – paragliding! The hotel looks amazing, combining luxurious accommodations with a layout that integrates it into the surroundings organically. It is more 125 years old, and I can’t wait to see the rich history first hand.

As for the New Santa Fe … I am excited to check it out. I know these are not exactly ‘sexy’ cars for many, but for myself it is perfect. Integrating storage, practicality, all-weather capability, amenities, fun and more were things that excited me about the Santa Fe Sport. And one of the most important pictures I took was of the rear seat space:

The issue for me is that while I am over 6′ 1″ tall, I have two teen boys who are each 6’3″ tall! They get absolutely squished up in the back of my Ford Escape, so I was happy that the rear seat was roomier. But very often we are carting around a couple of their friends, which means taking my wife’s Mazda 5 – three rows but very small! So naturally I was excited about the full-sized Santa Fe … and now we get to check it out!

The questions abound – is the rear row comfortable? What compromises were made? Does it still feel zippy and fun? And OMG I can’t want to cruise along the Pacific Ocean, something I haven’t done in nearly a decade (and then only in the Silicon Valley area).

But as I have always mentioned, there are a few things closest to my heart (aside from gadgets): first is my family. Having been traveling a load for a work project the last couple of months has made me realize just how many people have no issue spending Monday through Friday in a different state from their spouse and kids – but it absolutely shreds me! So I naturally made sure I could FaceTime my wife and kids regularly … here is the Verizon 4G map – awesome full coverage:

My other frequent posting topic is my running habit – so it should come as no surprise that one of the first things I did after I decided with my family that I would be going was to check out running routes on Coronado island. Basically – you can go anywhere! And given that the high temperature is forecast at 70 degrees, after I settle in at the hotel I plan to do precisely that! I have found a load of different routes, but pretty much plan to loop the town and run the beach a bit, which will total out around 7-8 miles. Here is a selection of routes greater than 7 miles on the island, with a great looking 7.5 mile course highlighted!

For all the details of the new Santa Fe, head to Hyundai News. And keep your eyes on Gear Diary here as well as on Facebook and Twitter for updates over the course of the weekend. We are not the only group checking out the new vehicle, so in fairness they are asking everyone to hold their drive impressions until Monday the 18th. But I will be providing loads of pics and my impressions of the experience all weekend long!

Every year we make the trek to Las Vegas, and every year we try to strike the perfect balance between the gear that we’ll need and a few extra things that will make our lives easier; the trick is to not forget anything vital or to too seriously overpack. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we fail miserably.

Here’s what’s coming along this time …

Judie: I’ve been going to CES since 2002, and you would think that by now I’d have a perfect kit prepared … but technology keeps changing, and so does my gear. I think I might have everything in order this time, though — really!

Backpack

I’ve finally found a backpack that carries everything I need to bring with me when I travel; one that looks good, protects my gear, doesn’t weigh too much (empty anyway), and is comfortable to wear. That bag is the Lexon Airline Double Compartment Backpack, and it is the bag that I bought to replace another that wasn’t cutting it during Mobile World Congress last year. The Lexon has a ton of space with plenty of pockets and slots for my gear — so many that I have temporarily lost things inside! =P

The backpack straps tuck inside a zippered panel on the back, so when I am not carrying a heavy load I can tuck one or both away and use only the top handle. Speaking of which — I love the way the handle on top has been sheathed in aluminum; it adds a bit of flash, and it keeps the strap from cutting into my hand when the bag is loaded.

I’ve used this bag as a daypack/purse when in New York, Barcelona and Las Vegas, and I’ve received many compliments on it — not bad for an impulse buy!

Laptops & Peripherals

For years I’ve been trying to figure out how I could travel without a laptop, using only a tablet to write articles on, and although I have managed to make it work in the past, being able to do everything I need without trying to figure out a work-around is worth carrying the extra weight. I’m using the 15″ MacBook Pro retina, which functions as my main computer and my travel laptop.

The MBPr is small enough that I don’t feel too overloaded when traveling with it, but large enough that I’d rather leave it in the hotel room during the day and work on my iPad when I’m on the showroom floor. Knowing that I will have the full keyboard and large screen to work on when I return at the end of the day is something I look forward to.

I have a full size NeatDesk that I use at home, but when I travel I always bring along the Neat Receipts Mobile Scanner. It’s surprising how many tech companies will (still!) hand out paper press kits at CES, and sometimes the info contained is something I need in order to do a writeup. Being able to scan the pages and then put the papers straight into the trash lightens my load each evening. I also use the mobile scanner to import info from all of the business cards I’ve collected through the day. The scanner is so small and light that it is no problem to pack and bring.

External Batteries & Chargers

This year I’ve got the Kanex DoubleUp Dual USB Charger to use in the hotel room. I threw it into my suitcase along with several iCables and microUSB cable (neatly tucked inside my Skooba Design Cable Stable Rollup Kit. This meant I didn’t have to bring along two wall chargers, and I can also use the cables with the external battery packs I’m toting.

The Mili PowerKing is the main battery pack that I’ll be carrying; it’s big, but the 18,000 mAh it holds makes carrying it worthwhile. My only regret is that it doesn’t have two (or more) built-in USB ports. The whole idea behind the Power King is that it comes with all these proprietary adapters that you are supposed to use with their cables. It’s great that it can charge a netbook and forty different phones, but I don’t have a netbook and I am down to three different types of chargers max. I tossed them all, because the only cables I use (or carry) anymore are USB based; besides, those proprietary tips were too hard to keep up with!

I also have the lighter and slightly smaller capacity 11,200mAh Yoobao along. I’m not sure that I’ll need it, but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. (Yes, I over-pack for CES … are you surprised?) This battery pack does have two USB ports; like the Mili it also came with proprietary cables and tips, but I tossed those, too. =P

Phones & Cases

Two days ago I went to the ATT store and had the miniSIM in my Nokia Lumia 920 turned off, and a shiny new microSIM was inserted back into my iPhone 5. I had debated using the Lumia on the showroom floor, but then I decided that I was going to have to go with convenience. Dan, Carly and Kevin will all be using iPhones, and not only will they be using iMessage to communicate, they’ll also be sharing a CES Photo Stream. I don’t really want to be the odd (wo)man out, so … iPhone it is. But my Lumia 920 will be in my backpack … next to the

LG Optimus G, because I like to over-pack. I mentioned that, right?

I’ve got my iPhone, Lumia 920 and Optimus G each wrapped in a Bodyguardz UltraTouch ClearSkin, but I decided to go a step further with my iPhone since I’ve already managed to put a ding in it. Luke from Not A Scratch had recently sent me a set of laser-etched wooden iPhone 5 Cases (Floating Tree, Zombie and Aztec), and I’m surprised with how much I like them! Take a look …

My case is made of cherry wood. Luke also sells zebra and sapele wood cases, and all three types are available for both the iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5; bamboo is also an option for the iPhone 4/4S

I’ll have a full review soon after CES (and two to give away — hooray!). In the meantime, I’ll just tell you that the case adds hardly any weight to the iPhone 5, and the corner protection is exactly what I needed when I dropped my iPhone the last time. Live and learn, right?

I should also mention that inside my Optimus G I have one of the three 64GB microSD Ultra cards that SanDisk sent for Dan, Carly and me to use at CES. The fact that I can fit 80GB worth of music and movies on my Optimus G when using it makes the Lumia 920 (32GB) seem downright stingy and my 64GB iPhone seem somewhat lacking. I wish that all phone manufacturers would allow us to add additional memory to their devices! I may have to swipe it though, and use it in my MacBook once the Nifty MiniDrives that Dan and I backed on Kickstarter finally ship. Space is growing very tight on my 500GB laptop, and 64GB would be fantastic!

Tablets

When I am on the show floor and at press events, I will be liveblogging, posting and keeping up with my email — all on my iPad mini. The mini is also a fantastic eReader when I’m on the plane (because I refuse to work then … I just refuse); the mini does everything I need it to do — short of performing like a 15″ laptop — and that is fine by me. I don’t have my iPad mini in a case right now (it is wrapped in a Bodyguardz UltraTouch ClearSkin, of course), but I am hoping that I’ll find something I love on the CES floor. I’ll keep you posted.

Cameras

I’ll be using my iPhone 5 for many of the pictures I take on the fly, but for the shots taken from across the press room or for times when I’m stuck with truly poor lighting, I’ll be using my Canon G11.

The G11 is relatively light (for a metal-bodied camera), very portable, it uses an SD card instead of a CF card, and most importantly — it takes fab photos.

Inside my G11 is an 8GB Eye-Fi memory card that I can use to wirelessly upload to Picasa, plug directly into my MacBook Pro, or that I can plug into my iPad with the Lightning to SD Card Camera reader for quick photo uploading and editing.

Hopefully I’ve got everything I’ll need with me, but I will let you know after the show — or most likely during the show if I’ve forgotten something truly necessary. We’ll see … =)

Dan:

This is my fourth CES and, this year, I have the good fortunate to have more options than ever when it comes to covering the show. And while having so many options is a great problem to have it is still… a problem since I had to actually make… gasp… choices about what I would bring. So let’s run down options and decisions. Here’s a quick video look at everything that is part of my CES 2013 kit.

I also thought I would walk through what I am using and the rationale behind the choices I made.

Phones: I had some nice choices with regard to the phone/s I could bring. I could bring the iPhone 5, the HTC One X, the HTC 8X (Judie’s review), the Nokia Lumia 710 and the Motorola DEFY XT on Republic wireless (my review). Ultimately I decided to bring the iPhone 5 and the Motorola DEFY XT. The iPhone 5 made the cut because it is truly a pocket computer that takes great photos and videos, integrates with my iPad and MacBook Pro and has proven itself as a mobile blogging tool. (I shot, edited and uploaded the video using it. That is the reason the iPhone is missing. The lack of the iPad mini… I simply forgot.) That was reason enough for it to be my main phone during CES despite the fact that it runs on AT&T’s network, a network that has, time and again, proven itself to be the worst of the bunch during CES. I brought the Motorola phone we recently reviewed because, running on Sprint’s network, it has the best chance of getting a signal when others fail me.

I should note that I was quite tempted to bring the HTC 8X but chose not to since, despite my love of the Windows Phone operating system, I am still learning about it and don’t have time to “play” with it and learn right now.)

Laptops: While I love working on my MacBook Pro I wasn’t going to bring it. Sure, it gets great battery life, is a pleasure to use and, at this point, is second nature to me. But the laptop is big and it is heavy. Toshiba was kind enough to send one of their UltraBooks to review and use for CES. It is light, fast and a terrific piece of kit. Although the Toshiba shipped with Windows 7 the company was kind enough to update it to Windows 8. That was a mixed blessing. You see, it may be the latest and greatest version of Windows but I’m not proficient in using it. After loading Dragon Naturally Speaking 12 and getting the laptop set up I found that there was still a learning curve. With the speed of CES I just can’t afford that time to learn about the OS. Carly was kind enough to agree to leave her ChromeBook at home and use and review the UltraBook.

So long story short, I am using my MacBook Pro for CES. It will stay in the room rather than get carried around all day but I expect I’ll still be more efficient using it during limited “in-room” hours than something that would have been unfamiliar.

I do miss owning a MacBook Air.

Tablet: I had a choice of a 3rd generation iPad, and iPad mini and a BlackBerry Playbook. This decision was a no brainer. I brought the iPad mini. It is small and light, gets great battery life, has a decent camera that takes images and shoots video with ease and, for the most part, is as speedy as my iPad. It, combined with a ZAGGkeys FLEX keyboard and stand, will serve as my mobile blogging platform during the day. My iPad is in a Bodyguardz case.

Camera: While I expect I’ll use my iPhone 5 and iPad mini for some pictures and video, after all, they are great for on-the-fly editing and uploading to YouTube, I brought my Canon T3i and PivotHead Video Recording Glasses. Shooting with the Canon is a pleasure and the pictures tend to turn out quite well. I also brought the Marshall Electronics MXL FR-310 Hot Shoe Shotgun Microphone I reviewed. (Read it.) It is a great way to get better audio when using the T3i for video. To carry the camera I’m using the Joby neckstrap we reviewed here.

I just reviewed the BlueWi Nighthawk Bluetooth microphone and was impressed but I think it will serve Carly quite well when she walks the show floor. The PivotHead Video Recording Glasses have been a pleasant surprise and I plan to use them as my sunglasses and backup for video and pictures.

Backup Batteries: Keeping things charged and running is an annual problem at CES. Not only do we use our gear non-stop but the weak signals in the Convention Center mean connected devices are working hard to lock onto a signal. This runs batteries down in record time. So I brought:
The MyPower Backup Battery we were given at last year’s CES
The Just Mobile Gum batteries we reviewed last month. (Just Mobile Max and Just Mobile Gum)
The Gear Diary-branded PowerStick batteries we reviewed last month.
The ZAGGsparq 6000- I love this one since it is not only a backup battery but also serves as a wall adapter for two USB-connected devices.

Bags: I wanted to go to CES with a work backpack as well as a smaller, lighter bag that was big enough for my key gear- iPad mini, keyboard, camera and a backup battery- but small and light enough to carry comfortably. To serve the latter function I brought the new version of the Tom Bihn Ristretto I reviewed some months ago. This bag, which does approach being a murse, is well-built, highly-organized and comfortable to carry. It is actually a mainstay at home.

I wanted a backpack that wouldn’t be too heavy when empty, was comfortable to carry, accommodated a 15″ laptop and was designed for ease-of-use on the go. I ended up getting a LowePro Video FastPack 250 AW. I love it. As you’ll see in the video, it holds a ton, is designed for those of us who use a DSLR and carry a 15″ laptop and need a bag that helps keep us well organized. It does all that, yet is rather light when empty. It only came yesterday, but I’m already a fan.

Assorted Extras

Evernote Moleskin Smart Notebook. I’m going old-school for notes this year. With the Smart Notebook I can handwrite my notes then snap a picture and have it automatically files under CES 2013 in my Evernote account. How’s that for organization that does require anything of me?!?!

I brought the Solid Titanium Pen+ Stylus I backed on Kickstarter.

Phiaton PS 250 NC in-ear noise-cancelling headphones. I almost brought the Phiaton on-ear noise canceling headphones I reviewed last month but wanted something a bit lighter. Thesefit the bill and I was able to get a great deal on them through Amazon a few weeks ago.

Skooba Design Cable Stable Packs to keep everything organized.

Packing Cubes: On CybrMonday I bought some packing aids from Timbuk2. The OCD Packing Cubes and OCD Packing Folders They made is much easier for me to pack while requiring me to really take them time to think through what I brought. I also brought the Hidden Messender I picked up so I have some extra room for gear if needed on the go.

It is a lot of gear but I expect it will all come in handy.

Carly:

This is my first CES, and I am trying not to overpack or miss something important! I will be wandering the floor quite a bit, so I am leaning more towards keeping things light but powerful. I plan to lean heavily on my iPhone 4S and 3rd Gen iPad, as I have a good rhythm with them and often post and edit on the go using WordPress for iOS on my iPhone and Blogsy on my iPad. As far as accessories, I have a Logitech tablet keyboard for the iPad that I will also keep handy for longer posts on my iPad. Finally, rounding out my mobile devices arsenal will be an HTC Sensation 4G; it has an excellent camera, fast internet, and it’s an extra mobile device that can handle WordPress on the go.

For more serious computing, I will be bringing the Toshiba Portege Z930 Ultrabook. Toshiba was nice enough to send it to us to make CES run more smoothly. So far I am still learning Windows 8, but the slim profile and zippy performance will make this a great addition to my gear bag.

Speaking of gear bags, I will be carrying the Ogio Manhattan messenger bag. This is a new bag from them, and we’ll have a full review up after CES. But I’m excited to use it; there’s a padded laptop area and plenty of organizational pockets as well. I like messenger bags because they make it super easy to access items on the go, and I always feel more organized using them. Hopefully I will remember sometime before my shoulder feels like it’s falling off to switch back and forth on how I wear it!

As far as charging, I have a Toshiba Powerstick and Mophie external battery that Dan sent to me for extra juice. In addition, I plan on bringing my Belkin mini surge protector. It’s fantastic while traveling, since you can plug several chargers plus USB cables in all at once…and I am sure I will need to top off everything each night!

*****

So there you have it — the gear that Dan, Carly and I will be bringing. I have a feeling that a lot of it will be swapped back and forth as needs arise, but hopefully we’ve got everything we’ll need to make it through the week!

I’m into a period of time that will see me on planes rather frequently, and while I’ve tried various noise canceling headphones over the years, I’ve never found a pair I loved to use. For example, I was impressed with the Sennhauser MM 450s when I reviewed them, but when I bought a pair on sale a few months ago I found myself disappointed with the buzz created by the noise cancellation system. It wasn’t bad, but it was noticeable, and I just couldn’t see myself using them longterm.

Most recently I had purchased a pair of inexpensive Sony in-ear headphones with active noise cancellation. They worked well enough, but I’ve been spoiled by some of the higher-end headphones I’ve been reviewing lately, and I longed for something better. I mentioned this to one of out contacts, and a package arrived a few days later with a pair of Phiaton PS 300 NC Premium Noise Canceling Headphones. I had been pleasantly surprised by the prior two pair of Phiaton earbuds I’d reviewed, so I was excited to try these out. Our trip to Aruba presented the perfect opportunity to give them a try, and try them I have.

So I sit on United’s flight to Newark at the end of our week away, listening to Phantom Planet and writing this review. Let’s take a look at the headphones and whether they stand up in the crowded world of noise-canceling headphones.

From Phiaton:

The Phiaton PS 300 NC headphones are masterfully made and matched to exacting standards. With powerful noise canceling technology that minimizes distortion while allowing authentic production values to come through, the PS300 NC allows you to listen to your music with up to a 90% reduction of most unwanted noise in your surroundings. This unit has a comfortable, compact on-ear fit with a flexible ‘fold and go’ design that fits headphones conveniently into a compact carrying case for easy travel. When on the move, the Custom lithium-polymer rechargeable battery offers up to 20 hours of reliable run time while the set of four adaptors allows you to recharge anywhere. The standard 3.5mm plug and the 6.3mm adaptor make this earphone perfect for any portable or home theater electronics.

In creating the premium quality “Primal Series” PS 300 Noise-Canceling headphones, Phiaton’s engineers and sound designers utilized all their expertise to exceed expectations. Featuring the luxurious look and feel of supple leather and leather-grade trim, as well as some of the world’s most advanced sonic technologies; the Phiaton PS 300 NC noise-canceling headphones offer music lovers a superb listening experience with unprecedented comfort, audio quality, style, and musicality.

I was immediately impressed by the packaging. There is no question that Phiaton was going after the premium market when designing these headphones and their box. The experience of opening the box and exploring everything inside was more than a bit pleasant. And speaking of everything inside, the PS 300 NCs are a good example of a company actually adding extras into the package rather than increasingly skimping on what is included — the way we have seen with smartphone companies who are now increasingly leaving out the headphones AND wall adapters. Sure, regardless of the company, the included headphones were crap; but leaving them out while keeping the price the same is just obnoxious.

So what IS in the box?

Phiaton PS 300 NC Headphones

2 rechargeable lithium-polymer batteries

6.3 mm stereo gold-plated plug adapter

Two 5-ft. detachable audio cables (one with inline mic)

Dual-plug adapter for airplane

International power plug adapters

Cradle charger with USB cable

AC/DC adapter

Carrying case

Owner’s Guide (Including 1-year warranty)

Product registration card.

We’ll get back to the headphones, but first let’s run down the extras.

The case is large and formfitting, and it is specifically designed to hold these headphones and accessories. The material used is rigid enough to hold its shape even when the headphones aren’t inside. That translates to them offering decent crush protection; I like that. One side is designed for the headphones and the other has a series of mesh pockets that hold all the accessories.

Next up is the inclusion of two cables and adapters. One is a straight cable for simply listening to your music; the other includes an inline microphone. We’ve seen this on other high-end headphones, and I always appreciate it. Unfortunately the material used for the cables is thinner and more tangle prone than some we have seen and, as a result, feels like it is a bit on the cheap side. Regardless, both cables work well; since they are removable they can be replaced fairly easily if need be.

From Phiaton:

Two Separate Audio Cables Allow for Phone Access: For total on-the-go convenience and flexibility, the PS 300 NCs comes with two separate single-sided cables, including one standard cable and another that features a remote microphone function that lets you access phone calls while listening to music.

I totally love the charging system.

The wall adapter comes with both US and European plug adapters, so you can use these headphones just about anywhere you might go.

The company includes not one but two batteries with the headphones — that’s unheard of in today’s money-grab electronics environment.

From Phiaton:

The PS 300 NC comes with two rechargeable batteries, a cradle charger with USB cable, and universal AC/DC adapters. One battery offers 18 hours of noise canceling function. Unlike most other noise-canceling headphone products on the market today, the unique PS 300 NCs still play music even if the noise-canceling battery is out of power.

To charge the batteries, you use the included USB adapter.

A neat feature is the fact that the adapter into which the battery slips looks very much like the ear cups on the headphones.

For those of you interested in specifications the company lists the following:

Studio Grade 40 mm Electrodynamic Drivers

Impedance: 32 Ohm

Frequency Range : 15 Hz ~ 22,000 Hz

Sensitivity: 98 dB

Max input power: 1000 Mw

Cord length: 5.2 ft / 1.6 m

Weight: 5 oz /140g without cord

The headphones themselves are fairly compact and, no doubt, are modeled after Bose’s smaller noise canceling offerings. The near headphones have a soft padded cushion that sits on your ear and, thanks to its ability to mold to them, creates a fairly effective noise barrier on their own even before the noise cancellation is turned on.

Buttons are kept to a minimum, and they are limited to the noise cancellation on/off control and a toggle that claims to offer extra bass but didn’t have much of any impact in my experience with the headphones. The plug for the audio cable is on the right ear cup, and it is offset about half way up on the side. This is notable since these headphones to an effective job of canceling noise whether you have music playing or not. Also notable is the fact that if you turn the noise cancellation off and remove the battery, the music plays through as if these were an ordinary pair of headphones. That’s a great feature, which means you can take these headphones on a trip and have them serve as your only headphones whether you have them charged or not.

The headphones fold up into a fairly compact package that can then be stowed in the included case. I do worry about what might happen if you didn’t stow the headphones carefully, since the build quality does feel a tad on the chintzy side. That is especially so after having reviewed the Harman Kardon headphones this past summer; now THOSE were headphones that were built like a truck!!

I found the headphones to be comfortable, but I did notice some ear fatigue after a few hours; I suppose that a certain degree of this can be attributed to their on-ear style. With that said, sund quality was excellent, and I really enjoy listening to music while wearing these.

The exceptional noise-canceling capabilities of the ultra-lightweight PS 300 NC headphones literally shut out the unwanted noises of the world so you can enjoy your own music in peaceful solitude. Phiaton’s powerful noise canceling technology minimizes distortion while allowing the authentic production values to come through. It’s the ideal lifestyle solution for hearing all your favorite music, including subtleties and nuances, even while traveling on an airplane or listening in noisy surroundings, like a train or subway car.

The exceptional noise-canceling capabilities of the ultra-lightweight PS 300 NC headphones literally shut out the unwanted noises of the world so you can enjoy your own music in peaceful solitude. Phiaton’s powerful noise canceling technology minimizes distortion while allowing the authentic production values to come through. It’s the ideal lifestyle solution for hearing all your favorite music, including subtleties and nuances, even while traveling on an airplane or listening in noisy surroundings, like a train or subway car.

Adjustable headband and a soft ear cushions seal in the sound for superior audio quality VHST for noise cancellation creates an occlusive effect for better noise reduction.

Phiaton’s patented VHST (Valves of the Heart Sound Technology) for noise canceling was inspired by the valves that enable flow of vital blood supply in and out of the heart. Translated to the audio paradigm, the technology makes use of check valves that expertly control airflow in and out of the headphone speakers. Rear enclosure and closed-ear design combine to create an occlusive effect for better noise reduction.

While the headphones are worn, the ear pads contract, exerting pressure on the front of the speakers. Normally, this would ‘rumple’ the speaker diaphragm and create a buzzing effect. But VHST Valves of the Heart sound Technology is designed to prevent rumpling of the diaphragm, thereby reducing air pressure and transforming incoming noise into reversed phase signals, or reproduced sound, which interferes with or cancels the unwanted noise. This allows real production values to come through with greater clarity.

I’m three hours into my flight while I write this, and I am paying critical attention to the noise canceling’s effectiveness. I was prepared to write that the NC was not all that great, but then I took headphones off and heard what things around me really sounded like. Boy are planes loud! Or, more accurately, boy are planes loud without NC headphones!

So I’ll access the cancellation of the PS 300 NCs by writing that the on-ear noise cancellation is good, but I suspect that a set of good over-the-ear cans would do a better job.

I like the Phiaton PS 300 NC Premium Noise Canceling Headphones more than any other on-ear noise canceling headphones I have tried. I’m still anxious to try the company’s in-ear solution, since I am increasingly convinced that I prefer in-ear headphones a bit more than the on-ear or over-the-ear design. That, of course, is a matter of my personal preference.

Suffice it to say I think anyone purchasing these headphones will be quite happy with them. I’ll be headed to Vegas, Florida and a few more destinations in the coming months, and the only reason I wouldn’t be bringing these along would be if the company’s in-ear offering shows up for review.

MSRP: $299 (You can currently purchase them through our Amazon Affiliate Store for just $253.75. Buy them now.)

What I Like: Complete package with lots of extras; Quite comfortable, especially for the first few hours; A number of special technologies that allow for both passive and active noise cancellation; Work as regular wired headphones even when there is no more power

What Needs Improvement: After a few hours the on-ear design introduced some fatigue; They are made of plastic, and while I have had no issues I have read of some parts failures

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

Dan and I just got back from a week in Aruba. This was our second year to enjoy a shared vacation there with our spouses; Dan and Elana have a Divi Village timeshare in Oranjestad, and they have been visiting the island for 20 years. This was Kev’s and my second time, so we are still learning about all that Aruba has to offer; we were really looking forward to exploring more of the island, enjoying the beaches, and trying some of the local tours.

If you have ever considered visiting Aruba, then you might enjoy some of the highlights and mini-reviews that Dan and I have put together from our trip.

Queen’s Restaurant
Weststraat 1, Oranjestad
297.583.3262
Entrées run $15 – 20 

This restaurant was recommended to Dan and Elana by one of the people at the Divi front desk who had heard it was good. Elana and Dan went the first night, while they were waiting for Kev and me to arrive. Dan says that the fact that Queen’s is in the back and on the second floor of a mall should have given them some indication that it wouldn’t be their best meal, but the nicely appointed decor convinced them to go forward and eat there anyway.

The hors d’oeuvres were quite good and the portions impressed them. The entrees, however, left something to be desired. The entrees were cold, portions were small, and the taste was just mediocre. Dan says, “It wasn’t that the food was bad but that, on an island with so many good Aruban restaurants from which to choose, it doesn’t make the grade.”

Jimmy’s Ocean View Bar

Once Kev and I had finally arrived in Aruba, we immediately suited up so we could visit the beach across the street. Dan and Kev decided we needed to stop in and visit local celebrity Jimmy (the singing bartender) at his upstairs ocean side bar. Located directly across the street from the Divi Resort, Jimmy’s is one of those places that you may enter not knowing anyone, but you’ll have made a friend or two by the time you leave.On Thursdays, Jimmy’s band provides the house music.

Divi Village Sea Breeze Café
Entrées run $10 – 45

My first night in Aruba was derailed with an upset tummy. Elana cancelled our dinner plans, and everyone but me went to the Sea Breeze Restaurant right there at the timeshare. I took a shower, got in bed, and took a two-hour nap. =(

None of us had eaten dinner there before, but Elana, Dan, and Kev all agreed that it turned out to be a great meal! The food was fresh, plentiful and well-prepared.  Elana has numerous dietary restrictions, and the chef could not have been more accommodating. Kev brought me back a small filet, and it was delicious! Finding out that there was such a great place to eat right at our resort was a happy accident.

Much of our second day in Aruba was spent on the beach and at the Divi pool. By the time dinner rolled around, we were ready to experience some delicious local cuisine …

Papiamento Restaurant
Washington 61 Noord, Oranjestad
297.594.5504
Entrées run $30 – 50

Papiamento is a 150+ year old historic cunucu manor, or typical old Aruban farmhouse, and belonging (then and now) to the Ellis family. They offer al fresco seating in a quiet, well-landscaped setting that will make you want to linger over your meal simply because you don’t want to leave.

The soups and salads are tasty, but the star of the meal is always the entrée. They offer a wide range of offerings, but you should look for those that are served “on the stone”.

“On the stone” is what Dan and Elana get year after year, and it is what Kev and I asked for again this year; these stone-served dishes are definitely a favorite. The protein (meat, fish or shellfish) is plentiful and served with a nice assortment of vegetables. We love the good, lightly seasoned food, but we especially enjoy the experience of eating off the stone after our meals have been cooked to perfection.

We went sailing with De Palm tours twice during out trip; both outings were fun.

De Palm Tour’s Sunset Cruise
For reservations, click here
$59 adults / $44 children

The Sunset cruise was aboard the De Palm Tour’s catamaran. A large sailboat, it had room for one hundred with a crew of about five. The took us out, hoisted the sails, and sailed us to the tip of Aruba where the lighthouse is located. It was a great way to spend a few afternoon hours, and the sunset was gorgeous.

The boat’s bar was a big draw for many of the passengers, and it was open within minutes of setting out. They had plenty of local Balashi beer (which Kev and I enjoyed), a special Aruban “kitchen-sink” punch that Dan thought was yummy, along with assorted other generously mixed drinks. The appetizers were one plate to a customer, and they weren’t worth the calories.

Advice: Go for the sunset sail. Go for the open bar. Go for a great time with friends. Don’t go if you are hungry.

Madame Janette’s
Cunucu Abao 37
297.587.0184
Entrées run $30 – 50

Always a favorite, the outdoor setting is lovely, the portions are large and the live music is terrific; most nights they have a singer/guitarist performing, and you shouldn’t be surprised if some of the patrons start singing along.

Bread and spicy onions start the meal. This is followed by the appetizer and then, if you still have room, the entrée. Most entrees come with a small portion of vegetables and rice or potato. The almond grouper is a perennial favorite; I got this, and the serving was so ridiculously huge that I was able to share a bit of mine with everyone at the table, and I still had enough to bring substantial leftovers back to the room for a snack later. Kev had the lamb chops, and they were amazing.

Over the years many restaurants have come in and out of Dan and Elana’s weekly vacation roster; Madame Jeanette’s is on that roster, but it has never been in question. Yes, it is pricey, but it is excellent and makes for a nice meal and a memorable evening.

De Palm Island
Full Day Price: Adults $119.00 Children $89.00
Half Day Price: Adults $104.00 Children $79.00

Kevin didn’t want to go. Elana showed no interest. I was ambivalent, but Dan wanted to go … and everyone was willing to play along. A de Palm bus took us past the airport to their dock, where we boarded a small motor boat for the five-minute trip to De Palm Island.

The island is more like a sandbar that was built up and developed as a tourist trap, and as we drew closer, the voices in our heads screamed “kitsch kitsch kitsch!!”

We arrived and found a number of white sand beaches, a water park, an open bar — it was already officially happy hour — and a buffet restaurant that served breakfast when we arrived and then offered lunch starting at 11.

The beach area was not crowded at all; it was full of palapas to sit under and comfortable lounge chairs … but the noise from the blasting music and dance class made us feel like we were on a cruise. Kev and Dan snorkeled a bit off the shore, but they were disappointed with the condition of the reef.

Later that day, Kevin and Dan went on a snorkeling  ”tour” that  brought them to the wall,  a point where the reef drops off and, apparently, doesn’t bottom out for 700+ meters. They thought that was interesting, and they did find the reef to be a bit better at some points along the way.

The water park was great for kids but were only stayed for one slide down the water park structure. The food was actually better than we expected, but it is certainly not why you should decide to spend the day at De Palm Island.

Overall it was good as a quick change of pace; we are glad we did it once, but once was more than enough.

Driftwood
Klipstraat 12 Downtown Oranjestad
297.583.2515
Entrées run $23 – 50

If you want fresh fish, then this is the place to go; what they serve is fish that has been caught that day by Driftwood’s owner, Herby. Elana and Dan have been going to this restaurant for years, and Elana’s parents (Hi, Mark & Debbie!) had already discovered it long before that. Driftwood is popular with locals and tourists alike, and as a result you will usually have a bit of a wait – even when you have a reservation. Last year when we went, the place was completely packed. We must have come during a slower week this year, because we had no wait and the restaurant wasn’t packed; I bet we never get that lucky again.

The soups and salads are good — my favorite is the fish soup. The fish served for the entrée is so fresh it needs slapping; what they serve will depend upon what Herby caught that day. Last year we had Barracuda (delicious!), and this year we had Wahoo. The fish is always well-prepared and simply amazing. The portion sizes aren’t quite as large as the outrageous servings we’d experienced the night before at Madame Janette’s.

Driftwood is owned by a couple, and as I mentioned, Herby goes out on one of the restaurant’s boats to catch the fish that will be used that night. You can pay to go out with him and then eat the fish you caught during the day. They charge a fee to cook your fish, but it is worth it to have them do all the cleaning and preparation. Dan and Elana tried this once, but Dan got sick as a dog on the boat; he begged them go back in or kill him. Obviously he’s not dead, so they must have taken pity on him and brought him back to shore. I, on the other hand, am dying to go deep-sea fishing. I may need to look into this option next year!

Advice: Ask for the special meal deal — they won’t tell you about it, which is a bit annoying. Once you ask and they realize that you are “in the know”, they’ll give you a special three course menu that includes soup or salad, a choice of entrée, all the sides and desert and coffee. If I remember correctly, the total is $24.95 per person; this deal is an absolute bargain.

Driftwood has earned a permanent place on our Aruba Restaurant Roster.

De Palm Tour’s Snorkel Cruise
Adults $77.00 / Children $57.00

Much to our surprise, the snokeling cruise took us out two days later on the same catamaran with the same crew that we had on our sunset cruise; that was fine by us. Even better, the boat’s capacity was 100, but there were just 45 of us — including the crew. We sailed north for a bit and dropped anchor. From there we had a chance to snorkel around a German ship that had sunk decades ago. It was fascinating to see the interaction of the ship and the ocean and see all the fish darting in and out; this experience alone was worth the price of the cruise.

Hopping back on board, we motored a bit further north, stopped again, and went for another 45 minute snorkel. This time out, we were on a reef that was in poor repair. Kev spotted a few live tube worms and we saw quite a few live sponges and brain corals, but it wasn’t anything like what you would expect to see based on a travel brochure. In other words, avid snorkelers would probably be disappointed by the sea life. We, however, didn’t mind, since it made for a nice swim off a beach we would not have otherwise visited.

Back on board we motored a bit toward the disembarking point, dropped anchor in a bay and had lunch. Salad, fish, chicken and rice were plentiful and surprisingly quite good. While you certainly wouldn’t make this trip for the food, we didn’t go hungry.

The crew was quite nice. The bar was open the entire time, and it was a great way to spend a few hours in the sun, on a boat, drinking, laughing and enjoying Aruba.

Advice: Carve out a half day of your vacation and spend it here. The snorkel cruise is a good time and money well spent. Had we done it earlier in the week, there would have been serious conversation about doing a repeat a few days later.

Texas de Brazil
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 382, Palm Beach
297.586.4686
Regular Dinner is $44.99 and the Light Dinner is $24.99

We thought we would try something different, and this restaurant certainly fit the bill. The salad bar was generous, fresh, and chock loaded with soups, appetizers, and salad choices. Honestly, most people could do fine simply getting the salad bar and calling it a night — but we were in it for the meat! Skewer after skewer of seasoned beef in various cuts, lamb, pork, chicken and Brazilian sausage were brought around by servers on a frequent basis, but we found that the quality was hit or miss. Kevin and I loved the lamb; it was perfectly cooked. Dan and I loved the chicken, which was juicy and flavorful. All of us found the filet mignon far too salty; Elana ate from the salad bar and called it good.

This was a fun meal, and we are all glad we went … once. Next year though, it won’t be on our list.

Zeerover
Savaneta 270, Savaneta
Shrimp and fish sold by the pound

This is probably the best find EVER. Last year Elana was chatting with her massage therapist, and she asked about eating places off the beaten path. After dropping Elana off for an earlier flight, Kevin, Dan and I went there and we found that it was indeed “off the beaten path”, but it was also excellent.

This restaurant/bar is basically a house with a huge covered patio and a dock with a few tables. Food is ordered at a window by the pound. The selection is small and includes fish (the day we were there, it was Wahoo), whole shrimp, french fries, fried plantains and the local flat (pancake-style) cornbread. If those items don’t sound appealing, then you shouldn’t go because there is nothing else on the menu. If those items sound good to you, then this place is a must. Of all the places that we ate at last year, this was the one we continuously brought up all year and looked forward to the most.

The fish and shrimp are fried unbreaded, and the result is crispy, delicious goodness. If you can, grab one of the three picnic tables down at the dock — they are the best seats in the house.

We went back for lunch our last day in Aruba, and the four of us split a large basket of fried shrimp, fried wahoo, french fries, and fried plantains. We also had a fair number of Balashis. Yes, the food was all fried, but it was done nicely and didn’t feel at all greasy. The food at Zeerover’s is simply delicious; it is also a bargain. The four of us had more than enough to eat for just over $50 plus the drinks.

We are already thinking about which day we’ll go next year.

Have you ever visited Aruba? If so, did you make it to any of the places that we did? Do you have any local favorites that you’d like to share? Do tell!

Want to use you camera to take fun pictures on the go? The Lensbaby Spark may be just what you need. The Lensbaby Spark is one of the more unusual camera accessories I have used since I began covering camera accessories. The lens runs $80 and is available for both Canon and Nikon mounts.

For your $80, you get a “selective-focus” “tilt-shift” lens that shoots at f/5.6 with a fixed focal length of 50mm. If you are not quite sure what that means, you are not alone. And while, in most cases, I might take the attitude of “if you don’t get the basic idea, then this might not be the option for you”, but I’m not taking that position here. Why? Because even for a n00b like me, the Spark lets you create blur effects in your photos that are way too much fun to pass up.

Let’s talk about what it is and see the images we shot with it first time out.

From Lensbaby website

The Lensbaby Spark is a small, short lens whose center looks like an accordion. You swap the Spark out with your standard lens, and you are good to go. The swap will take your potentially-fully-automatic DSLR and turn it into a fully-manual image-maker. That’sa kinda the idea.

Your want to put your camera in manual and you may have to play around with the aperture settings for a bit to get the lighting you need. From there it is all squeeze, tilt, bend and shoot.

From Lensbaby:

Fun, expressive, creative and exhilarating – Spark is all of these things, and more. If you’re a hands-on photographer always up for a little adventure, you’ll find a kindred spirit in Spark. Spark is a fun way to capture unique photos with your Canon or Nikon DSLR.

Looking to capture the magic of everyday, fleeting moments, in a way that’s different and unique? Spark will ignite your imagination.

Spark photos will have a snappy “sweet spot” or round spot of focus, surrounded by melt-in-your-mouth, beautiful blur.

Available in mounts for Canon EF (EOS) and Nikon F.

I received the review sample some time ago, but I waited until this week when we were in Aruba so Judie and I could play around with some fun in the sun shots.

Let’s check out the specs, and then see some of Judie’s and my pictures.

Focal Length: 50mm

Aperture: fixed f/5.6

Optic: multi-coated glass doublet

Focus type: manual

Sweet spot, selective focus lens (creates a sweet spot of focus surrounded by gradually increasing blur)

Available for Canon and Nikon mount DSLRs

Focusing range: approximately 13” (33 cm) to infinity
Compatible with Lensbaby Optic Swap System and all Lensbaby 37mm threaded accessory lenses.

No electronic communication between the lens and the camera body.

I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated by the Spark. After all, I tend to do most of my shooting with the camera on automatic. I shouldn’t have been worried. Judie showed me what to do — she  set the camera to Manual and then used her left hand to squeeze and tilt the lens while holding the camera body with her right hand. Her method fell right in along the lines of Lensbaby’s own instructions to…

Replace your normal lens with a Spark

Set your camera to “M” mode

Squeeze to focus

Shoot away!

I would pick an items that I wanted to feature in the shot (the busier the background, the better), then point the camera at the item, pull in on the lens until it was in focus, and then bend the lens in one direction or the other until I got the frame and focus that seemed most interesting .. then I snapped.

Here are some of Judie’s and my results …

You can learn more and order your Lensbaby Spark by clicking here, on the product page or here, through our Amazon Affiliate Site.

MSRP: $80

What I Like: Easy to set up and start using; Takes awesomely interesting pictures; Adds some fun, functional image taking into your DSL-use

What Needs Improvement: Takes a little practice to get the shots you want (but digital film is free, right?)

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

While Elana, Judie, Kevin and I have been down here in Aruba this week both my iPhone 5 and my 4th generation iPod touch have been well-protected in Lifeproof cases. The cases do a great job of protecting your device from bumps, bruises and… water. And while I didn’t want to dump my iPhone 5 in the Caribbean, I did take my touch with me when we went snorkeling. Not only did it work well, but it worked well enough that I am completely and totally impressed and, next time, I WILL trust my iPhone to the Lifeproof case.

From Lifeproof:

Make your iPod Gen4 your constant companion. The LifeProof case for Apple iPod touch Gen4 lets you take your iPod Gen4 where you never thought possible. Have fun wherever your life takes you, and take your iPod Gen4 everywhere.

Here’s some of the video I shot with the touch…

The Lifeproof for the 4th Generation iPod touch is $69.99. Check it out.

The Lifeproof case for the iPhone 5 is a new design that is thinner and lighter and… pretty amazing. I’ll have more to say on it soon. In the meantime, you can check out the $79.99 case here.

There was a time, lo those many years ago, when I harbored the hope that I would be traveling regularly to Europe.  I am very much a Francophile, and had hopes that Sami and I (and later, Maggie and Joseph) would spend time in France.  And when considering such travels, I would wonder to myself, “How the heck am I going to pay those ridiculous roaming phone charges when I’m there?”  Well . . .

Voiamo, the pioneer in roaming replacement, today announced the launch of the Globalgig service using an elegant, small Mobile Hotspot device that avoids the excessive costs and hassle of international data roaming. By automatically logging onto the local network in each market through users’ smartphones, tablets and laptops, Globalgig customers can access fast, secure internet speeds of up to 7.2 MB (megabytes) per second at a fraction of normal roaming costs. Up to five devices can be connected simultaneously at high speed to any single Globalgig Hotspot by simply switching it on and accessing the internet.

Globalgig charges significantly less than mainstream mobile phone companies for its international data packages and its service is also priced competitively for usage in the US domestic market. The company offers useful monthly bundles of 1 GB (gigabyte) for $25.00, 3 GB for $39.00 and 5 GB for $49.00. 5 GB is the equivalent of 5,120 MB, which translates to as little as 0.95¢ (nearly a penny) per MB. Competitors on the other hand can charge up to $20 per megabyte and offer international data packages ranging from fifteen to twenty-five cents per MB.  Globalgig bills customers on a monthly basis for usage and there are no long-term contracts required.  There are no hidden charges, and users can easily cancel or make changes to their plan by providing notice up to 48 hours prior to the end of their billing cycle. The Globalgig Hotspot device can be bought at the Globalgig store online for $119.00 at www.globalgig.com.

After initially launching in the US, UK, and Australia, Voiamo plans to expand the Globalgig product to key Asian, European Union markets, and other large global travel hubs, over the next 12 months. There are also plans to launch a voice service in late 2013, offering cheap call bundles abroad with the ability to maintain live existing and local numbers.

Do you do a lot of travel and wonder about the roaming charge problem yourself?  Well then, surf on over and check it out and if you do, be sure to tell us what you think below!

Back in June, I did a video post on how I created a Skooba Design “Go Pack”. I took one of the company’s Cable Stables and strategically loaded it with all the cables and accessories I need with me on the go. It continues to serve me well but, believe it on not, it can be a bit too large on days when I’m traveling super-light. This is especially so now that my iPad mini is my “go-everywhere” tablet. That’s why I was pleased to get one of Skooba Design’s first Cable Stable Rollup Kits. The Rollup Kit is small, light, easy to carry and, best of all, organizes all the cables I need. And it is so flexible that I think I may order a few more to use with other essentials I carry day to day.

From Skooba:

The Rollup opens flat for easy loading and instant access to cords and accessories. Divided into five sections, with elastic hold-down loops, to keep coiled cords neat, tangle-free, organized and easy to find. Once loaded, the case simply rolls up, and is secured quickly just by flipping the sewn-in bungee loop around the outside. The full, rolled-up case is about the size and shape of an eyeglass case, making it easy to carry in a coat pocket or any bag. Also great for small travel, office or school supplies like pens and pencils, pocket flashlights, cosmetics and more.

Two Toggle Tie™ cable keepers included. Stretchy bungee loops with push-button barrel locks secure coiled cords of any size, keeping them neat and tangle-free. Great for cables and power cords that are too big to store in the Rollup.

The Cable Stable Rollup has the same interior design as the original Cable Stable. (It remains for sale on the company site.) Vertical dividers create five different “compartments” and a piece of horizontal elastic provides the flexibility to insert gear and then, when left to its own, hold said gear in place.

The result is something like this.

From left to right I have: Vmoda headphones, an Apple USB to Lighting Connector, a USB to miniUSB cable, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, and a USB to microUSB cable. In other words, in this small package I have pretty much universal connectivity options AND a great pair of earbuds.

Then, by taking the elastic that is permanently affixed to the Rollup Kit and wrapping it around the bundle, you create a small bundle that can slip in just about any bag or pocket.

The Kit also comes with two Toggle Tie cable keepers. These are,

bungee loops with push-button adjusters, to neatly hold extra cords, or cables/chargers too large to fit into the Rollup

These may look simplistic and not worthy of mention but for someone like me- someone who wraps cables with rubber bands or twist ties- these are a more flexible and aesthetically pleasing option. Do I need them? No. Will I be using them? You bet.

The Skooba Cable Stable Rollup Kit is a simple accessory that fills a need many of us have by keeping multiple cables organized and within reach. At $14.95 it is inexpensive. And if you spend $50 or more you’ll get free shipping. Better still, spend $75 or more and use the special code gdiary and you’ll save 25%!

Our thanks to Skooba for creating this special deal for our readers and for their continuing support of the site!

The Skooba Cable Stable Rollup Kit is one of those products you simply don’t need. After all, plastic bags can serve pretty much the same purpose. Still, the Skooba Cable Stable Rollup Kit is an accessory you should have. It is well-made, flexible, and it will help keep you organized on the go. Oh, and it just happens to be a ton classier than pulling out a baggie full of tangled cables.

I like the review sample enough that I’ll likely be ordering one or two more for myself and a few as gifts. Learn more and order your here on the Skooba Design website.

MSRP: $14.95 (Save by spending more)

What I Like: Simple; Effective; Flexible; Inexpensive; Well-constructed

What Needs Improvement: Nothing; You don’t NEED it but you will be glad you HAVE it

I was in Havana last week with two dozen members of my community; we were there as part of a “religious mission”, which meant that we brought down supplies to share with the aging members of the Cuban Jewish Community and spent time learning about the history of Cuba, the Jewish community in Cuba, and even the architecture of Havana. That was the “serious stuff”.

For fun, among other things, we spent time “car watching”. I couldn’t believe the American cars from the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s that are still on the road. It was nothing short of impressive. Here’s a look at some of the things we saw along the way…

Here are a few more…

I spent last week in Havana Cuba touring the city, listening to lectures, and doing some good as we visited with Havana’s Jewish community and shared the medical supplies we’d brought. While there, certain key pieces of tech came in rather handy; I thought I would run down just a few of them.

First and foremost, my Canon T3i DSLR and iPad were great for taking and manipulating pictures on the fly. Using the two devices in tandem let me take pictures like this one from Hemingway’s house.

And this one from his garden.

And this one of his typewriter.

And this one taken in a rundown theater as we watched a new Cuban Dance Company perform.

Yes, taking pictures with a good camera is pretty amazing, and having an iPad to edit and manipulate them on was even more remarkable. (I’ll have a post about the photo apps I used on the go, soon!) It let me do this…

And this…

Of course, I needed to get my pictures from my camera to the iPad. I’ve used an Eye-Fi card for years, but have found it to be rather buggy as of late. Instead I simply used Apple’s camera connection kit. I pulled the SD card out of the camera and upload pictures to the iPad. This became handy when others traveling with their cameras and iPads discovered they could use my card reader and do the same thing. Apple’s little (and overpriced) accessory was a huge hit. And with an iPad mini and an updated iPad on the way, I’ll soon have to update my set to work with the new connector.

Of course I needed to carry my camera. The amazing CarrySpeed Shoulder strap I reviewed last week came in quite handy. Here’s the review. Here is the video…

And when I wasn’t actually shooting pictures (which was rather rare), I needed a place to protect the camera. I debated which bag to bring, Indecisive as usual, I ultimately brought two camera bags; I’m glad I did because both served me well with each serving a different purpose at different times.

The Lowepro Urban Photo Sling 250 came in quite handy when I wanted my camera, my iPad and just a few other small items. It was with me most of the time. I did find that the strap on the bag would often slide off my shoulder if I wasn’t careful. It was an annoyance but was easily fixed by using the built-in waist strap. Find our review here. The video is here.

I also brought the Tenba Messenger: Small Photo/Laptop Bag.

On days that looked to be longer and required a bit more gear it served quite nicely. You can read the review here and watch the video here.

At the end of the day, however, the real gadget winner for me was the Pivothead Durango Video Recording Eyewear.

First there was the “awesome” factor of them. The people traveling with me couldn’t believe that these sunglasses were able to shoot video. And the quality of the video I shot was rather impressive. The glasses have 8 GB storage. That was enough to record up to an hour of HD video at a time. And while I could have done that, I frequently connected the glasses to my iPad using the USB connection from the camera kit and moved new videos over to my iPad, which guaranteed I had free space to shoot more. I’ll share some of those videos shortly. In the meantime, read the review here. Here’s our video look.

My time in Cuba was pretty amazing. We saw a lot, did a lot, and learned a lot. In addition, we saw the most amazing collection of American cars from the 1950s. That post is coming shortly.

Our thanks to Carry Speed, Lowepro, Tenba and Pivothead for the review samples.

Lowepro’s Urban Photo Sling 150 was one of the first camera bags I reviewed over the summer. I liked it and have found myself turning to it as one of my “goto” camera bags ever since. (You can read the full review here.) My biggest issue with the bag was its size. The Urban Photo Sling 150 is great when you need to carry a camera and just a bit more, but if you’re on a trip it is a bit too small.

That’s where the Lowepro Urban Photo Sling 250 comes in. It offers the same design and features in a larger bag that is “just right” for someone who needs to carry some additional gear.

Here’s a video look.

Like its smaller sibling the Urban Photo Sling 250 is a flexible bag that works well and is comfortable to carry.

The company suggests there are three options for wearing it, but I really see only one –  slung on your back. The other two are really all about protecting your gear in crowds and accessing your gear on the fly.

While the main compartment holds the bulk of your gear, the front area holds smaller items behind both a zipper and a velcro flap. It is a design that is both smart and secure.

According to Lowepro, the Urban Photo Sling 250 fits:

a Pro DSLR without grip with attached 70-200mm lens

2 extra lenses or a flash OR a flash and 1 lens

A tablet

A small tripod or water bottle

Accessories and personal items

I don’t have a Pro DSLR so, for me, the 250 will hold additional accessories. In my review of the smaller version I had this to say:

After some initial concerns I have come to not only appreciate but to like the style of this bag. It won’t work for every situation but for days when you are on the go and need to travel as “light” as possible but have your key gear with you… this is a great option.

That still holds true with this bag, AND the Urban Photo Sling holds more gear than the 150. That’s good news for someone like me. You can learn more here on the Lowepro website. And you can order it here through our Amazon Affiliate store for just $89.95.

MSRP: $99.99

What I Like: Small; Well made; Two ways to access your gear; Great for on the go; Keeps your gear nice and secure through well-placed straps

What Needs Improvement: Only available in black; Holds a limited amount of gear BUT it holds more than the Urban Photo Sling 150!

Ask any business traveler, the toughest thing is maintaining your exercise and eating regime while on the road. I remember when I was traveling heavily many years ago, it made keeping a routine very difficult – but gaining weight easy. I don’t have to travel very much for work anymore, but when I was planning my trip to Utah to check out the new Hyundai Santa Fe, I wanted to be sure that my marathon training and associated eating habits were not severely impacted.

The first thing is exercise – this can be the hardest thing to do, as you are in an unfamiliar spot and it is often hard to know what is available. But ultimately it is about dedication and willpower – any fitness person will tell you that getting 30 minutes of activity is not hard, but can make a huge difference. It is a matter of priorities. A couple of months ago, I was reading on a running blog about someone staying in a hotel in East Boston (right near Logan airport), who ended up running 15 loops around the outer limits of the hotel parking lot.

When I was headed to Park City, Utah I looked on the map and at some visuals, and assumed I would have no issue just running from the resort to downtown and back for about a 10 mile jaunt. But when we were being driven from the airport, I saw that I had mis-read the altitude change and knew that I wasn’t ready for the 2000 foot hill between resort and town. Also, the roads were fairly narrow without a good space for running. So I knew I had to find something else – but similar to the blogger above, there was NO WAY I was using the inside gym! Not with such great weather!

Fortunately the concierge had a map and showed me some cool trails that were used for trail biking, hiking and running. She highlighted a route that would take me ~7.5 miles, with a 3.5 mile shortcut loop if the altitude proved too much. There is another word for those ‘trails’ – paths between ski slopes! They were very narrow, hilly and rocky – and I took a few minor falls tripping over unstable rocks. But in the end, I did a 7.5 mile trail run that was simply amazing and the image at top is from when I was returning, saw the resort from the back, and had to snap the spectacular view.

Next comes food. Carly wrote about ‘Eating Well on the Road’, which is an awesome read you should check out. When it comes to air travel, you need a different approach. You cannot bring drinks with you, but fortunately most airports sell large water bottles for only slightly exorbitant prices. Also, I have read and heard mixed things about container-based foods from home, whether bagged or Tupperware, with the general advice being ‘don’t bother’. Fresh fruit like an apple or banana works well, so I had a pear for the trip. But I knew I would be looking for protein, so I grabbed a bag of mixed nut trail mix. Trail mix is one of those things that can be really good or really bad – but by looking for one with natural ingredients that doesn’t look more like a bag of candy you should do okay. I grabbed a great mix from my local store’s organic foods department, and I recommend hitting a Wegman’s, Trader Joes, Publix, or whatever store has gourmet selections near you (i.e. NOT Walmart). You can easily find lower-salt, unprocessed mixes at these places – and then remember to say ‘no thanks’ to the snack bags offered on flights.

Now on some junkets or at conferences or conventions the food is an afterthought, with pre-cooked or reheated snacks and appetizers providing most of the fare, mixed with standard hotel food. When I arrived at the opening reception after cleaning up from my trail run it was clear that this wasn’t to be the case at the Montage – or in general with the Hyundai folks. Food was going to be central – and awesome.

For me that makes it harder to moderate and monitor my eating – if the food is mediocre, I can simply pass it up in the same way I steer clear when someone drops a Dunkin’ Donuts box on the table at the morning meeting. But when the food is GOOD?!? Now I have to work at control!

The first night we had a reception followed by a ‘station’ style buffet. There were salads, veggies, meats, and even a ‘potato martini bar’. As a general rule, buffets are a wonderful way to get really fat, really fast. There are a number of reasons for this that have been covered plenty of times, but that made the first night a great test. Here is my approach: when there is a buffet or ‘multi-station’ setup, look for things that are grilled, stay away from oils and heavy sauces and fried foods.

Here is my plate of food – my ONLY plate. Grilled asparagus and green beans, salad, a barley/corn/spinach thing, beet-pasta Mac & Cheese, lean grilled pork and grilled salmon.

Everyone was raving about the mashed potato martini bar, so I headed over to check it out. Mashed potatoes taste best when prepared with butter and cream … and having them served by someone else and topped with fried foods is a clear warning sign! I grabbed some for a taste, but since I already had a solid plate, I was fairly full and left most behind. That is always a great rule at a buffet – NEVER feel compelled to ‘clear your plate’.

Following dinner, they had a series of desserts, including a liquid nitrogen dipped rice krispie treat called a ‘Dragon’s Breath’, a pastry tray, mini ‘push-up’ cheesecakes and a donut station. Yes, gourmet donuts – a few of us split some to get a taste. Here is the worst – Maple, Bacon, and a fried donut. No, there is absolutely NO upside to this. I tried the blueberry and lemon donut but wouldn’t even touch this. My kids were disappointed.

Later we were walked outside where they had a great firepit with a s’mores station. Awesome touch, really. Below you can see some of the homemade marshmallows for s’mores - the components might not seem bad, but together the fat and junk calories add up quickly … particularly at 10PM!

For breakfast Hyundai had arranged a buffet specific for us, with all of the usual eggs and home fries and bacon and sausage and pancakes and … you get the picture. They also had a great sliced fruit selection, so I grabbed a plate of that; when grabbing juice and coffee, I found greek yogurt and then almost hidden away was home-made granola. Looking at it you see all of the ingredients, and they are fresh and natural. Aside from Elana’s tremendous granola with the coconut additions, this is the best granola I have ever eaten.

Not saying that Hyundai spoiled us, but half-way through our Santa Fe ride we had lunch at the Sundance. Highlighted selections included a cheese-steak sandwich and grilled Angus burger, but the menu had loads of healthier choices as well. I thought a safe choice would be the Veggie pizza on flatbread, until I saw the massive plate! Another rule … don’t be afraid to leave most behind when they deliver a 16″ pizza for one!

I hadn’t even thought about it, but I ordered a dessert called the 5-6-7 Tart (5 blackberries, 6 raspberries and 7 blueberries atop a caramel chocolate mousse tart). Make no mistake, this is a diet busting dessert – don’t let the fruit fool you! I was sitting with Ali and Laura from Hyundai, and they each grabbed a fork and we all took a couple of bites and ended up still leaving half behind. My wife and I do this all the time – split a dessert, as it saves money and calories.

Another element of portion control that entered in was with wine. At both dinners the wait staff were free-pouring from pre-bought bottles. Given my weight loss and that I managed more than 10 miles of trail runs across two very busy days at 8500ft elevation (which is pretty much 8000ft higher than where I live), I would characterize myself as a ‘lightweight’. So I needed to keep an eye on how much was poured. Since alcohol has loads of calories, that was another concern, but for me it was making sure I kept below two net glasses. My strategy with this is to always also order soda or water and work between the two, so I am never drinking wine from thirst.

The important thing to note is that while I made healthy choices and controlled my portions, I ate tremendously the entire weekend. Part of it was planning ahead, and I knew from the reception to expect great things from the final dinner. I have always found that eating is like parenting – you need to pick your battles: I could have eaten that entire mashed potato cup, or made more of a dent on the pizza without real harm to my health regime … but it wasn’t WORTH IT to me. I was never overly full, and never regretted a single thing I ate.

Also, when you have been told to expect a huge and high quality steak on the last night …

What thoughts and advice do YOU have about eating on the road, and what strategies work before for you? Let us know!

I had a few meetings the other day, and as I was heading out for them, I was struck by how little I was actually bringing with me. I was further struck by the fact that despite how little I was bringing with me for the day, I STILL had everything I needed.

Yes, everything I needed for my meetings was held in my Timbuk2 X-small Quickie for Tablets 2011, and I had tons of room left over. (The 2012 version is here.) In fact, there was almost nothing actually IN the bag.

So what did I bring with me? I had my phone (currently an HTC ONE X, because my iPhone 4S went up on eBay in preparation for the new iPhone), my wallet (the Flipside 2X- read the review here), my keys, my new iPad, the LunaTik Touch Pen (read the review) and… the Sena Florence Portfolio for the New iPad (Read the review.)

As the product page for the Sena Florence Portfolio notes:

The Florence Portfolio is a simple and functional design for the The New iPad. It is perfect for those who prefer to have their essentials and iPad at the same time.

This is a bit of a change for me. Previously, were I having a meeting with a family in preparation for a life-cycle event, I would have brought my iPad, my Livescribe Smartpen and a portfolio holding the Livescribe pad of paper. With the Sena Florence Portfolio I lose the Livescribe functionality, but I still have both my iPad and a pad of paper and both are held in a thin, light and gorgeous leather portfolio. That meant I could take all of my notes on the paper, flip over to the iPad a few times when I needed to look something up and then, when I was back in my car after the meeting, use the camera on the iPad to snap a picture of my notes and save it to Evernote.

The result was a light, easy-to-carry mobile office that did everything I needed… and then some.

What do you bring along when you want to travel light, but you have work to do?

Over the last few months we’ve looked at numerous ways to carry and protect your camera and gear and today we are looking at yet another! This time out we have the Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise 35 V2.0. It has an MSRP of $159.75 and what you get for the money is rather impressive. Yet again the bag “comes in any color you want so long as you want black”. That isn’t an issue to my mind, especially since this is a bag that is intended to carry a ton of gear without calling too much attention to itself. While I like the bag on its own, I LOVE the fact that you can purchase an additional accessory that turns this shoulder bag into a backpack. The bag is perfect for carrying a lot of gear AND a tablet or laptop up to 13″. Let’s jump in and take a look.

From Think Tank Photo:

A perfect size working bag for photographers on the go who use a compact laptop. The Urban Disguise 35 V2.0 holds up to a 13.3” laptop with a standard size DSLR or a 10” netbook with a pro size DSLR. A 70-200 f2.8 lens can remain attached to any size DSLR, inside the bag. it features a large opening for easy access to equipment and can be attached to the extended handle of a rolling bag. The Urban Disguise 35 V2.0 can also be carried as a backpack by using the Shoulder Harness V2.0 accessory (sold separately).

This is truly a “working photographer’s bag”. It can handle both a standard and a pro DSLR, a good bit of additional gear AND a laptop of up to 13″. That makes it perfect for someone like me OR someone who really is a photographer.

Features:

Professional appearance, does not look like a traditional camera bag

Carry a complete DSLR kit with a compact laptop

Special hinged divider allows room for either a regular or pro size DSLR

Tall enough to carry a 70-200 f2.8 lens attached to DSLR

Easily accessible front organizer pocket

Leather handle clasp keeps two carrying handles together

Easily accessible front organizer pocket

Expandable front pocket for carrying one pro size DSLR body

Rear panel for roller handle attachment can be closed for use as another pocket

Optional accessories sold separately: Urban Disguise Attachment Straps and Shoulder Harness V2.0

Here’s our video review, after which we’ll run down a few specific “likes” and the one issue that arose for me but may not for you!

As you can see, I really like this bag. It isn’t too large (we’ve got the review of one of those coming up shortly) but it isn’t so small as to, at times, leave you feeling cramped. (Think LowePro Urban Photo Sling 150 or Think Tank Photo Retrospective 7)

I also like the fact that it is so well-constructed. Then again, that shouldn’t be a surprise considering that every bag we have seen from Think Tank has been well-constructed from top-quality materials and have designs that really take into consideration how a photographer on the go would make use of the bag.

One of the things I really appreciate is the front pocket design. The company went to great lengths to make it simple to access a lot of your smaller gear without having to go into the main portion of the bag. This includes the pocket at the very front AND the front flap that lifts to reveal plentiful organizing space.

The central clip under this flap is rather hefty. I like a beefy clip since it makes me feel confident that the gear stowed behind it is safe. The added protection of velcro further increases that confidence.

The laptop pocket is great. It is perfect for a laptop of up to 13″ in size. In fact, that is the reason I requested this size for review. I figured it would be perfect for use when traveling with my Canon T3i and my MacBook air. Little did I know I would be selling my MBA and upgrading to the 15″ MacBook Pro retina. It is, one the one hand, a personal bummer. Then again, the laptop pocket work just fine for an iPad and Bluetooth keyboard.

The bag is comfortable to carry as a shoulder bag and the option to purchase an additional accessory that turns the bag into a backpack is great. (As of this writing the should accessory is out of stock.) I have to agree with this customer review from the product page-

Oh my gosh, I love this bag! It is small enough to count as a personal carry-on for commercial flights, easily fitting under the seat in front of me, but it’s holds oh-so-much. I’m carrying a pro-DSLR w/ attached 50mm and hood, a 100mm macro lens w/ pouch, a 24-70 zoom w/ reversed hood, a flash w/ pouch, AND a MacBook Air 11″ or a MacBook Pro 13″. Unbelievable capacity and it looks great! All it lacks is a loop on the back to hang it over the handle of my carry-on bag, but that’s a small issue that can probably be overcome w/ accessory straps.

The Think Tank Photo Urban Disguise 35 V2.0 is available directly from the company. Details and ordering informationcan be found here. You can also order through our Amazon Affiliate Store.

We’ve signed up to be part of Think Tank’s Photographer Support Program. With this program, any time you visit the company website using this special link to go to Think Tank and, when you order $50 or more you will get free gear added to your order. You will also help support Gear Diary in the process, and we thank you in advance. Yes, it is a win-win-win prospect and, best of all, their camera bags are awesome!!!

MSRP: $159.75

What I Like: Well-constructed; Practical way to carry, protect and access a good deal of gear; Let’s you carry up to a 13″ laptop; Easy access to gear stowed in the front pockets

What Needs Improvement: Nothing so long as you like this style of bag and only need to carry a laptop of 13.3″ or less

Quite a few years back when I was in high school, I enrolled in a “primitive” two-week hiking trip to the Smoky Mountains/Shining Rock Wilderness area with a group called Wilderness Southeast. It was quite an education for a young greenhorn like myself far from civilization…hiking boots, heavy backpacks and open to the elements (no tents), and no food except what we carried and rehydrated with water from mountain streams. Water…that was key, you see, because back in those days we used chlorine tablets to sterilize the water…and most of you who ever spent time in a swimming pool know how unpalatable chlorinated water is. Fortunately, technology has caught up with personal water purification needs in the multiple models of UV water sterilization from SteriPEN. The principle behind ultraviolet light purification is ingeniously simple: the UV light operating at a wavelength of 240 to 280 nm starts a disruptive chain reaction in the target organisms’ DNA or RNA, either destroying them outright or inactivating them.

SteriPEN’s sterilization tools are simple to use and several models are small enough to fit in a pocket. For example, the SteriPEN Adventurer, shown above works by inserting the light tip into the container of water, activating the UV light and stirring until the status LED flashes green, indicating the water is safe to drink. How easy is that? Beats the pants of waiting for a chlorine tablet to dissolve and adding that distinctive and unpleasant chemical taste to the water.

SteriPENs are used all over the world by travelers, emergency rescue workers, climbers of Mt Everest, householders, weekend hikers, and Navy seals. No stranger to the limelight, SteriPEN was recognized in 2011 by TIME Magazine as one of the Top 100 Gadgets of our time.

As mentioned earlier, SteriPEN offers several models to choose from, and one model, the SideWinder, works via a hand crank, without batteries, and other models can work with a solar-powered charger, the SteriPEN Solar Charger.

Ideal for emergency safety kits, travelers and other outdoor activities, SteriPEN offers a model to fit your needs. I certainly would have loved to have had one during my backpacking days!

SteriPEN

When you drive through the pine forests leading up to the Grand Canyon’s rim, no one would fault you for thinking that what you are about to see couldn’t possibly live up to the hype. But when you get to the rim, when you have your first chance to look over and out … the view is simply mind-boggling.

How big is the Grand Canyon? The park covers 1,218,375.54 acres, which is about 1,904 square miles. If you measure it in river miles, following the course of the Colorado River at the canyon’s bottom, you’d call it 277 miles long. The Grand Canyon “begins at Lees Ferry (mile 0) and ends at the Grand Wash Cliffs (mile 277).”

One of the first questions I had, when standing on the rim, was how deep it was from where we were standing to the very bottom — where I could just barely see a river snaking by. It turns out that it’s a vertical mile there, and it is about 7 miles if you decide to hike your way down to the river via the trail.

At its deepest, it is 6000 vertical feet / 1829 m from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles / 16 km (rim to rim), though in places it is as much as 18 miles / 29 km wide.

Here’s another way to look at size: a trip to the bottom of the Canyon and back (on foot or by mule) is a two-day journey. Rim-to-rim hikers generally take three days one way to get from the North Rim to the South Rim. A trip through Grand Canyon by raft can take two weeks or longer, and experienced backpackers have spent weeks in the more remote areas of the Canyon.

The Grand Canyon has long been a shelter for humans and wild animals …

The oldest human artifacts found are nearly 12,000 years old and date to the Paleo-Indian period. There has been continuous use and occupation of the park since that time.

The first day we were at the park, clouds started to roll in, and we were treated to some magnificent views from across the canyon. It wasn’t long before fat rain drops began to fall, and lightning was filling the sky.

I was (more than a little) surprised that there were a number of tourists who didn’t seek the safety of their vehicles or other proper shelters. I guess being the highest point on a canyon’s rim didn’t strike them as being particularly unwise.

Kev picked up a book on deaths in the Grand Canyon (it was current through 2011), and death by lightning had its own chapter. Yikes.

Lightning isn’t the only danger, of course; Google “death in the Grand Canyon“, and watch how many results are returned. The main things to remember when seeing the Grand Canyon are that if you dress appropriately, act appropriately, and carry the appropriate food and water for whatever you are doing, you will probably be okay. In other words, deciding to back all the way up to the edge of a rock in the middle of a thunderstorm (complete with crazy lightning) is not appropriate. =P

Here’s a tip for you: If you don’t want to feel like you have been let off in the middle of tour bus hell, take a left as you approach the Grand Canyon rim, and head to the Grand Canyon Village rather than the visitor center.

Trust me.

The Grand Canyon Village is where you’ll see the early ranger buildings, the park hotels, the mules, the Kolb studio, and other notable places … and you will not feel like you are in a Disneyland theme park, complete with the insane crowds.

You’ll want to eventually go to the East and follow the rim road. There are various places that you can pull over to take photos, but whatever you do — make sure you stop and check out the Watchtower.

This is a most amazing building; if there were a way to pick it up and move it to the ranch (ha!), I would love to live in it.

The Watchtower dominates the near view. This structure was designed by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter who is often referred to as the architect of the southwest. She traveled throughout the southwest to find inspiration and authenticity for her buildings. The architecture of the ancestral Puebloan people of the Colorado Plateau served as her model. This particular tower was patterned after those found at Hovenweep and the Round Tower of Mesa Verde. Ms. Colter indicated that it was not a copy of any that she had seen, but rather modeled from several.

We really messed up; we didn’t allow ourselves more than a day and a half for the Grand Canyon, and it rained for most of the first day. We are already making plans for the next time we go, and how we will allow ourselves enough time then to hike to the bottom and back.

I can’t wait! =)

Grand Canyon National Park

Imagine for a moment that you are a cowhand, and that you have been riding in the desert heat for some time in search of missing cattle. Across from the Mesa you are riding upon, you happen to look at the wall of the cliffs below the mesa opposite you.

Your mind drifts for a moment, and you find yourself studying the composition of the opposite mesa’s cliffs; you find yourself paying attention to the layers of clay, limestone, sandstone, shale, and other geologic materials that make up of all the cliff-patterns and colors that you are used to seeing … and suddenly  you see something that seems out-of-place. Instead of a colorful rock canyon wall, you see a ruin of what can only be some sort of ancient city built into the arc of a cave.

It’s obvious that a somewhat advanced and social people built these dwellings; there are large common areas, uncovered circular man-made pits, as well as multiple doorways leading into multi-storied rooms; this is no primitive or portable shelter.

The missing cattle are momentarily forgotten … you want to know and understand what you are seeing.

Cliff  Palace

On December 18, 1888, that’s exactly what happened to Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law, Charles Mason. “They first saw Cliff Palace near modern-day Sun Point and went to investigate. That afternoon Richard entered Spruce Tree House, and the next day the two men climbed to Square Tower House. Although Richard’s brother, Al, [had seen] Cliff Palace the year before, he did not enter the dwelling. So the credit for its “discovery” was given to his brother Richard and to Charles Mason.”

Who lived here? And what happened to them?

About 1,400 years ago, long before Europeans explored North America, a group of people living in the Four Corners region chose Mesa Verde for their home. For more than 700 years they and their descendants lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. Then, in the late A.D. 1200s, in the span of a generation or two, they left their homes and moved away.

If you have even the least bit of curiosity about how the earliest Americans lived, then you owe it to yourself to make a trip to Mesa Verde, Colorado. What awaits you is an awe-inspiring trip into the past; you’ll find yourself immersed in a place where multiple generations cohabited together, living off the land, and relying upon skills that they shared with their community for the greater good of their families’ survival.

The Colorado mesa, Mesa Verde, was chosen as the settling point for a group of nomadic people named Anasazi (meaning “Ancient Ones”) by the Navajo, Hisatsinom by the Hopi, and Ancestral Puebloans by the NPS. These Indians occupied the mesa top for approximately 600 years before they began building their most famous remnants: the cliff dwellings.

When you visit Mesa Verde, there are a multitude of cliff houses available to see from the road or to explore in person. We went, and we had time to explore two. The first was the Spruce Tree House, a self-guided tour that we could explore at our own pace, albeit without a park ranger there to answer our questions.

Spruce Tree House

Spruce Tree House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between A.D. 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural alcove measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 60 to 80 people.

The cliff dwelling was first discovered in 1888, when two local ranchers chanced upon it while searching for stray cattle. A large tree, which they identified as a Douglas Spruce (later called Douglas Fir), was found growing from the front of the dwelling to the mesa top. It is said that the men first entered the dwelling by climbing down this tree, which was later cut down by another early explorer.

One of the cooler features os the Spruce Tree House is that among its eight kivas, or subterranean “pit houses” …

… there is one that you can climb down into and explore.

The reasons are unclear as the Anasazi left no written records; however, it is known that a drought struck the area in 1276 and lasted for 23 years. This drought, in addition to what may have been a depletion of resources after 600 years of occupation, most likely led the people of Mesa Verde to abandon their cliff dwellings.

If you want to see a cliff dwelling with a smaller group of people around while being led by a knowledgeable guide, there are several tours available. We decided to take one so we could explore the Balcony House:

This one-hour, ranger-guided tour involves climbing a 32 ft. ladder, crawling through a 12ft.-long tunnel, and climbing up a 60ft (20m) open rock face with two 10ft (3m) ladders to exit the site. The tour begins at the Balcony House parking area, a 10-mile (16km), 25-minute drive from the Visitor Center.

With 40 rooms, Balcony House is considered a medium size cliff dwelling. Only 10 sites in the park have more. Evidence of how room and passageway construction in the alcove evolved through time can easily be seen in Balcony House. Today, the tunnel, passageways, and modern 32-foot entrance ladder are what make it the most adventurous cliff dwelling tour in the park.

 

There are several other guided tours available at Mesa Verde; so far it has been one of our favorite parts of our cross-country trek. Kev’s girls think the coolest thing about Mesa Verde was being able to look into the kivas themselves, and scrambling through the narrow passageways and climbing the ladder at the Balcony House. I think that my favorite part was having the point made for me (yet again) that it’s not always about how nice your house is or what amenities it offers … sometimes it is all about your home’s location and its view. =)

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park Timeline

CyArk Mesa Verde Page 

I hate flying. Hate it. And I hate flying Coach even more. At 6′ 1 1/2″ the fact that he seats are getting closer and closer is not only annoying, it is downright uncomfortable. And when I’ve flown coach to Israel… ouch!!!! I have, thankfully, taken that long flight in Business First a few times and it made a huge difference. Regardless, even then I hated flying.

What could make me like it more? Something like what Emerates Airlines offers in 1st Class on their A380. You know, it is the little things, like a fully stocked bar, gourmet food and… a shower… that make all the difference. (Yes, a shower at 40,000 feet!)

The video makes clear the difference between…

First Class…

Business Class and…

Cattle Car… I mean, Coach.

Here’s the full video…

Have you ever been to Carlsbad Caverns? If not, and assuming you like exploring, then you owe it to yourself to go. Nestled in the Guadalupe mountains about 150 miles North East of El Paso, Carlsbad Caverns is worth the drive from just about anywhere.

So how were they discovered? The story goes that in 1898, a 16-year-old cowhand named Jim White [most likely] entered the caverns for the first time.

Who knows exactly who was the first to find the cave entrance, but by the time he died in 1946, Jim was known unofficially as “Mr. Carlsbad Caverns” for his “exploration, guide services, and  promotion of sharing the caverns with the public”.

Visitors to the caverns have a few choices about how they’d like to enjoy their caving experience. Unlike many other caves I’ve been to, at Carlsbad the main tour is done on your own, without a guide. You can choose to ride the 750′ elevator down and back up if you don’t want to do the steep 1.25 mile walk through the natural entrance, or you can do a combo of walking in and riding the elevator out.

I highly recommend that you walk in through the natural entrance if you are at all physically able to; just be aware that the steep incline is a harsh calf workout, and they will be sore afterward!

You need to allow about an hour or so to walk in if you do the natural entrance tour; maybe add a bit more if you are taking pictures, because there will be plenty that you’ll want to stop to “oooh and ahhh” over. Once you get to the bottom of the entrance trail, allow yourself about two hours to walk the entire big room; again, you made need a little more time if you plan on taking tons of pictures (like I did).

The cool thing about the cave’s main trails is that they are all paved, and they aren’t too slick; I did the hike in a pair of flat sandals, and I was quite comfortable. Portions of the Big Room, the large natural limestone chamber which is “almost 4,000 feet (1,220 m) long, 625 feet (191 m) wide, and 255 feet (78 m) high at the highest point”, are wheelchair accessible, and those with physical limitations can enter and exit the cave comfortably via the elevators.

You can read about the history of the caverns’ area by clicking, here.

I can’t visit Carlsbad Caverns without thinking about how much my Uncle Tom, a Speleohistorian, loved them. This was only my second time to visit, but we are already planning our next trip back. Perhaps we’ll be able to do a guided tour on the next go-round. =)

Carlsbad Caverns

Csrlsbad Caverns FAQ

If all you need to bring with you is your DSLR camera, a few accessories and an iPad you certainly don’t want to carry some big, heavy, and bulky bag. At the same time, carrying your camera and your iPad means that you have some rather expensive equipment along with you for the day so you DO want it protected. One option is the Urban Photo Sling from Lowepro. This sling style bag comes in two sizes – the 150 and the 250 – and I’ve been using the 150, the smaller of the two, for the last few weeks.

As you will see in the video review, I wasn’t all that enamored with the bag when I first saw it. But after using it for a day running to meetings in Manhattan, I’m pretty well sold on its design and utility. No, it won’t be my bag of choice for something like CES, but if I’m running into the city for a meeting or I’m out for the day and want to have as little as possible along for the ride, this bag will probably be on the short list of what I’d consider taking along. Add in the fact that the smaller bag has an MSRP of under $85 (and is even less through Amazon), and you have a great option for going light.

Let’s take a look at the specs and then jump into the video review.

From Lowepro:

This modern sling offers an easy way to carry, access and protect your camera gear, plus a tablet.

Dedicated Tablet Compartment

Wear this versatile sling at the front, back or side for comfort and security

A padded and separate compartment offers protection for your iPad® or other tablet

2 Options to Load: Load and unload from the top for easy access or with the front panel fully open for maximum organization

The modern, streamlined design makes it easy to grab gear and capture images.

Here is the video –

The bag offers a compact design and is built for quick access. There are three options for wearing it – at the front, on the back, or on the side. The tablet compartment sits at the back of the bag and is padded for protection. I appreciated the fact that you can modify the divider arrangement to fit your liking or you can entirely remove it and simply have an open storage space. That translates to a bag that is ideal for carrying your specific gear with you – so long as you don’t have a lot along for the trip.

The bag has what the company refers to as a “Tuckaway waistbelt”. It is there to “provide additional stability, comfort and security”. I thought it would look rather lame but when I needed to sprint the last few blocks to a meeting in Manhattan I used it and found it to be incredibly practical if you want to secure the bag and not have it swing around.

After some initial concerns I have come to not only appreciate but to like the style of this bag. It won’t work for every situation but for days when you are on the go and need to travel as “light” as possible but have your key gear with you… this is a great option.

You can learn more here on the Lowepro website. And while it has an MSRP of $84.99, you can get it for ten dollars less here in our Amazon Affiliate Store.

MSRP: $84.99

What I Like: Small; Well made; Two ways to access your gear; Great for on the go; Keeps your gear nice and secure through well-placed straps

What Needs Improvement: Only available in black; Holds a limited amount of gear

I used to travel a lot — basically once a week.  I had a job in California, but my family lives in Austin.  (it was 2008–I took whatever I could find.)  So I spent a lot of time in airports, eating, pulling luggage, searching for power outlets, unlacing and relacing my shoes, and getting scanned.

Over that period, airports were transitioning from X-Ray-only to those “strip you naked” full-body scanners.  To say that I am dubious about these devices, their use, the lack of privacy, and so on would be a massive understatement.  The makers of the most popular machines have very cozy relationships with the various congressmen and government officials who approved their use by the TSA; there are no longitudinal studies as to whether these devices are or are not harmful to your health; there have been many instances where, in spite of the “rules”, the images generated by these devices have been stored rather than erased; there has yet to be a legal decision as to whether these machines constitute “unreasonable search and seizure” when used against a citizen whose only crime is to buy an airplane ticket; and on and on.

No, I’m not a big fan.

In  fact, I’m such a non-big-fan that I “opt out” every time I am asked to use them.  That this leads to being groped by a total stranger doesn’t make me happy, no, but it makes me less unhappy than subjecting my precious skin to those machines.  (I once offered to strip naked and allow myself to be searched that way rather than submit to that humiliating pat-down–in privacy, of course!–and was refused!  The TSA worker absolutely refused to recognize the fact that strip-searching me was actually more thorough than a pat-down.  ”I can’t do that,” he said. “No, you won’t do that; you absolutely can,” I responded, making zero friends among the TSA staff.)

So I’m quite glad to see that someone is finally taking this whole issue to court:

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should be compelled to at last give the public an opportunity to comment on the agency’s use of full-body scanners in airports, a new brief of amici curiae by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) urges. For more than three years, TSA’s use of body-scanners has affected millions of Americans, yet passengers still have had no opportunity to formally voice their concerns to the agency.

The TSA has already been directed by the D.C. Circuit in EPIC v. DHS last July to “promptly” begin a legally required notice-and-comment rulemaking on the use of these scanners. CEI’s brief is in support of a petition for writ of mandamus filed on July 17 in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), which aims to compel the TSA to begin the court-ordered rulemaking proceeding within 60 days.

CEI is joined by Robert L. Crandall, former Chairman and CEO of AMR and American Airlines, theNational Association of Airline Passengers, Americans for Tax Reform’s Digital Liberty,Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Rutherford Institute, Center for Individual Freedom, Cyber Privacy Project, Center for Financial Privacy and Human Rights, and the Liberty Coalition.

“All we are asking is that the TSA follow the law. They failed to initiate a notice-and-comment rulemaking proceeding as required under the Administrative Procedure Act, and they are now failing to comply with a court order telling them to do just that. The TSA is out of control, and we believe the court will recognize this and grant EPIC’s petition,” said CEI Transportation Policy Analyst Marc Scribner, who will be discussing the filing this afternoon at a Capitol Hill briefingsponsored by the Cato Institute.

The brief urges the court to set a timetable for the TSA to open public rulemaking so that the public can bring important concerns and facts to agency’s attention. If the TSA cannot then justify the use of body-scanners to the public, then further court supervision could be required.

• View the brief of amici curiae

• View the Cato Institute’s Capitol Hill briefing information

• Sign a petition urging President Obama to order the TSA to follow the law

As you can tell, I am appalled at how much our basic civil rights have been abrogated since 9/11–and quite frankly, Obama is no better than Bush in that regard.  But I’m just one guy, and I went to U.C. Santa Cruz (Go Slugs!), so to say that I’m left of center is an understatement.  So share what you think below!  And if you’re in agreement with me, hey, surf on over and sign the petition.

It wouldn’t be an issue except for three things… First, bringing that much – a suitcase and a gear bag (and now potentially a camera bag) — is not good for my back. Second, the airlines are becoming increasingly restrictive and greedy when it comes to baggage. [For example, Judie paid a ton in overage baggage fees when she and Kev came north last week.] And finally, when you take anything bigger than a carry-on you automatically add at least twenty minutes to your trip while you wait for your bag. Add in the fact that you never know who does what with it once you have it over [Kevin's toothbrush seemed to have been "pranked" by one of the luggage handlers last week], and there is a lot to be said for simply taking a carry-on when you travel.

So what if one bag could serve as your bag for clothing, carry and protect your electronics and do all that in a carry-on-sized piece of luggage? That’s what the new Skooba Design Laptop Weekender from Skooba Design sets out to do.

What do we think? Read on and watch the video review to find out.

Features:

• Unique hybrid laptop/travel carry-on bag holds a day or two of clothing, plus laptop and portable electronics, fits any standard overhead compartment

• More than a dozen pockets, compartments and organizers in all hold clothing and travel necessities, laptop, iPad/tablet and other gadgets, accessories and more

• Designed to hold all popular 15” laptops, and will hold some larger screen sizes, depending on overall laptop dimensions (laptop section interior is 15” x 11.5” x 1”)

• Includes our incredible, patented Superbungee™ shoulder strap ­— for more shock absorption and carrying comfort than you’ve ever experienced

• The perfect leisure travel bag — lets you carry and protect your laptop without having to bring a separate business case

The Laptop Weekender V.3 takes many of its design cues from other Skooba offerings in the V.3 lineup. [We reviewed the Tablet Messenger and love it. Read about it here.]

As we have come to expect from Skooba’s products, the bag is thoughtfully designed and well-constructed. It is clear that this was created with a good bit of thought as to what travelers actually NEED to bring with them when taking a trip for a few days or, depending on the person, a week.

The exterior of the bag is constructed from ballistic nylon. The interior is “smooth oxford nylon”. The zippers are “self-repairing” and have soft grip pulls. The shoulder strap is made from “seatbelt grade nylon” and all the materials are water-repellent. It is the same construction as the Tablet Messenger V.3. I’ve already beat the hell out of that bag, and it still looks brand new. I expect the same here.

I also love the fact that the bag comes with Skooba’s Superbungee Strap V.3 (Check it out here.) The strap is a great way to carry a heavy bag in the most comfortable way possible. It has an MSRP of $26.95 if you purchase it separately.

As I sit here writing this review after having the bag for over a week what strikes me most about the Laptop Weekender V.3 is the fact that while most bags and cases fall into the category of “clothing bag that also holds electronics” or “electronics bag that also holds clothing” this bag serves both functions equally well. The main compartment is able to hold a huge amount of clothing — watch the second half of the video to see JUST how much. As the same time, the bag has an area specifically designed to hold and protect an iPad. Then there is the laptop compartment. It has a brilliant “Bumper Bar system. (Seriously, it is SO smart – adding good protection with minimal bulk or added weight.)

As the product page notes,

Designed to hold all popular 15 inch laptops, and will hold some larger screen sizes, depending on overall laptop dimensions (laptop section interior is 15″ x 11.5″ x 1″)

Laptop is cushioned in its own padded compartment, supplemented by our exclusive bumper bar protection system on the sides and bottom, for additional shock absorption and improved air circulation. Laptop can be accessed instantly without opening the main bag, for easy removal at security checkpoints or while on the move.

And it gets even better. The interior position of the bag has two open pockets that can be used for electronic accessories (among other things). Each falls in line with one of the laptop bumpers and, as a result, gets the same protection as the laptop but from the inside of the bag.

I really love this bag. Judie does too. In fact, she took one look at my review sample, and decided that she had to have her own! Here’s our video look …

If you get the sense I like this bag A LOT, then you would be correct. Skooba did a fantastic job with this, and while the price of $179.95 may seem a bit high for a soft bag, it is actually a great value once you take the build quality and design-features into consideration. And I must not be the only one who thinks so, since the first run of the bag is almost sold out. In other words,  if you want one — order now or you will have to wait!

You can learn more and place your order here on Skooba’s site.

MSRP: $179.95

What I Like: Beautifully designed and constructed; Great for flexible travel with clothing and electronics; Includes super-special shoulder strap; Special compartments for iPad and/or laptops

What Needs Improvement: Price may seem a bit high for this kind of bag, but it isn’t; Wish there were accessory add-ons available to, for example, use part of the interior space as a camera bag

In the 1930s and 1940s, New York’s elevated High Line ran between factories and warehouses delivering milk, meat, produce, and raw and manufactured goods without creating congestion on the streets below. Rather than run above the streets of the businesses it serviced, the High Line ran through buildings, which was the city’s attempt to “avoid creating the negative conditions associated with elevated subways.”

In 1980, the last train ran on the High Line pulling three carloads of frozen turkeys. In the mid-1980s, area property owners began lobbying for the High Line’s demolition, which was met by resistance from Peter Obletz, “a Chelsea resident, activist, and railroad enthusiast”. In 1999, Friends of the High Line was founded by Joshua David and Robert Hammond, both residents of the High Line neighborhood, “to advocate for the High Line’s preservation and reuse as public open space.” It wasn’t until 2002 that they finally got an NYC City Council resolution advocating the High Line’s reuse, and in January 2003 competition opened to design the High Line’s second life as a public space. You can still view the entries that were submitted by 720 teams from 36 countries, here.

Groundbreaking was in April 2006, and the first section was completed in 2009.

Yesterday, Kev and I entered the park at West 30th Street, and we walked its entire length. What we found was a utopia above street level; we were amazed by the variety of trees, art, flowers and plants …

What we discovered was an almost magical place thanks to the amount of greenery and beautiful landscaping coupled wonderfully usable spaces for people to enjoy. It gave us a new perspective for what was happening on the ground below.

The High Line the perfect juxtaposition of old and new; it is civic repurposing at its best.

The High Line Park

High Line History

Nostalgia and fun memories can be a dangerous thing – they can lead you to look past some obvious signs of poor customer service until it is too late. Three years ago my wife and boys went back to Massachusetts to visit the town we lived for 15 years before moving to New York. They stayed one night each with friends, but then Sunday night stayed in a hotel so everyone else could get back to their normal life and Lisa and the boys would have an easier exit to head home.

They chose the Coco Keys Water Resort Hotel in Fitchburg, which at the time was owned by Marriott. It was a hotel that had recently added a water park of the type becoming increasingly common, with pools, tubing areas, slides, dump buckets and so on. They had a great time – after arriving they went straight to the water park, stayed until closing, then headed to the Bistro for a late snack of wings and a drink, then the next morning they took the complementary buffet outside to enjoy.

So when we decided to extend our Cape Cod vacation with a trip back to Northern Massachusetts for an overnight visit, we made only one call – to the Coco Keys. Needless to say, things didn’t go as expected, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this! Rather than just list out everything, here are a few categories that sum up the experience:

Tell Your Customer When You are Doing Something Unexpected:

- We booked the hotel, let them know that we would have our dogs (expecting a fee and being told of one), and wrote down our information. A few days later while doing bills we noticed that our bank account had been charged in full for the hotel! A call informed us it was due to the ‘hotel/park package deal’, but we still had cancellation ability to within 72 hours of stay, which we accepted – because at least it meant that part of vacation was paid off! BUT, for a hotel this is NOT standard practice, so you should always tell your customers what to expect.

- Along the same lines, apparently our thought that everything was paid off wasn’t entirely accurate; the dog fee was due on arrival, which – again – was something we weren’t told about and was therefore a $75 check-in surprise. I don’t think that sort of thing is EVER well received.

- When we booked, the hotel was still Marriott owned, but was transitioning to Holiday Inn. The website touted free continental breakfast … which we suspected was no longer included due to some changes in layout of the area where it used to be located. We were correct. However, there was NO mention one way or the other in any of the documentation for the hotel. The official switch-over date was less than two weeks before our arrival, so it seems like the hotel could have made some effort in communicating the changes in amenities.

You Expect Customers to Obey Your Rules, So Obey Your Own Rules:

- We came from visiting friends with visions of more or less repeating the experience my wife and kids had before. We had checked in before heading to visit friends, so all we had to do was quickly change and hit the water park. All of the signs say ‘open until 9PM’ with no caveats (like some places where it will say ‘last ride at 8:45′ or whatever), which was great and gave all of us plenty of time to relax and have fun. Until my younger son and I hopped out of the outdoor hot tub at 8:45 to do one last run on the water slide only to see the lifeguards sending kids who were on the stairs back down and not allowing anyone else to go up. Then they started clearing everyone else out, so that by the time we got to the hot tub (~20 feet away) I had to tell the girl we were gathering up our family to be allowed outdoors! We were ready to go anyway, so it wasn’t a huge deal at the time. In most places the closing is flexible, and there is warning, but it was clear that here 9PM meant ‘lights out’! And again, this was different from my family’s experience on their previous visit.

- As noted, the next step on the repeat tour was getting snacks. We had checked the sign and saw the bistro was open 10PM – again with no caveats – so we headed to the room to get changed out of our wet bathing suits and then came back down. We came to the Bistro counter at about 9:25 according to ‘Verizon Time’, and we tried to place our order but were told ‘sorry, kitchen closes at 9:30′. I remarked ‘I don’t think it is past 9:30′ and pulled out my phone which was showing 9:26; I directed it towards the person working the Bistro bar, who remained impassive and suggested that perhaps the main restaurant was open later and we could get something there.

Sensing my mood shift, and before I could pretty well demand our order be processed since it was before 9:30, my wife suggested we check out the restaurant. When we arrived there (with ANOTHER 10PM sign), we met with a highly uncooperative hostess who basically tossed us a menu and otherwise said very little about whether we could get similar snacks at the restaurant – which the menu told us we couldn’t. Turns out that THEY were trying to close as well, though she never said that – what told us was that the main restaurant doors were closed right after we exited.

So when I talk about ‘following rules’, what do I mean? If you say you are open until 10PM, BE open until 10PM; if the kitchen closes at 9:30, make that explicit and clear. Most people respond much better to rules when they are clear and explicit and consistent rather than when they feel arbitrary and punitive. Had we known the kitchen closed at 9:30, we would have gotten snacks before changing. But based on the signage for the Bistro – combined with past experience – we had no reason to think that reality was anything but the stated 10PM closing.

At this point the kids were exhausted and just wanted to crash in front of the TV in the room. Lisa and I decided to go back to the Bistro to get a drink and sit and relax for a bit. Which brings us to …

Don’t Charge Someone for Your Employee’s Incompetence:

- Back at the Bistro, we took a deep breath and went up to order our drinks – Merlot and Martini. Mine was simple – house Merlot. For Lisa … she ordered a dry Vodka Martini straight-up with olives. Not as simple as wine or beer, but a very standard drink that they teach on Day #2 of bartending school … or you can just grab a cocktail book and look on page 3 of the Vodka section. Anyway, a martini is pretty much always prepared in a shaker (even if stirred), Dry means ‘use extra dry Vermouth’, ‘straight up’ means with no ice in the glass, and ‘with olives’ means … with olives.

Unfortunately the Holiday Inn decided to have a bartender at a full-service bar in a fully booked hotel who neither has knowledge of drink preparation nor the resources to figure it out. He interpreted ‘straight up’ as ‘only put vodka in the cup’. The olives part he got, but when I mentioned to Lisa that he looked about ready to serve her a cup of vodka she tried to help; he asked what type of Vermouth (which had been addressed in the ‘Dry’ part). and then he prepared to try again. He was still working directly in the glass, but to me it looked like he was mixing at a 1:1 ratio (again, basic recipe is 3:1 Vodka to Vermouth). Lisa tried to correct him, but the deed was done. He asked her to taste his concoction, and it was the WORST Martini she had ever tasted without exception. Mind you, this is a $6.50 cocktail! And while I know that isn’t terribly expensive for some places, it’s not like we were at home playing with $1 of booze.

Fortunately he didn’t have a problem starting again – without charging us for the drink we returned; this time someone also fortunately told him to use a shaker. But UNfortunately he neither listened to our advice, nor did he consult a mixology book – so what he delivered had a 2.5:1.5 ratio – better, but still not correct. Lisa took a taste and pretty much said ‘good enough’, and now – more than 20 minutes later – we sat down. As she said, it was ‘drinkable’, but still the SECOND worst Martini of her life. And though we enjoyed just sitting together, we were stuck with a bill of $15 for the privilege of trying to teach a bartender who didn’t listen to make a drink he should have known how to make before working a bar!

Tell Your Customer When You are Doing Something Unexpected … Again:

- As mentioned, the hotel was no longer offering free continental breakfast, something we had surmised but that remained to be confirmed when we got off the elevator in the morning. The Bistro had a few items, but given the number of fruit flies we saw the night before, and how everything sitting out in the morning had been sitting out the night before … we headed for the restaurant, which was pushing the buffet. Now in most that serve a buffet, the waiter carrying juice to your table is just part of the buffet – or a separate charge if you go a la carte. Same for coffee.

Again, I can’t fault the restaurant for my failure to ask, but given the rather casual (i.e. skimpy) pour job, I assumed things rather than confirmed. And like so many times already, the hotel staff seemed instructed to provide no more information than that which was explicitly asked. So three of us got coffee, three got juice, and we all opted for the buffet since the a la carte options were quite pricey. Aside from being very small, most of the buffet was obviously store-bought in bulk (pastries, etc), and even though days later – we continue to laugh about it being the worst bacon we’ve ever had – it was tough to the point that Lisa worried for her cap. Needless to say, when we got the $75 bill (for four Holiday Inn buffet breakfasts and found out that NOTHING had come with the buffet, we were less amused.

I really cannot fault the Holiday Inn that I didn’t ask, but then again – the buffet wasn’t even listed on the menu! How could I have discerned from the information provided what was or wasn’t included? But I look at it this way – I had expected to have about $50 in check-out costs from a late night snack for all of us, and instead I had to sign for more than $175 – and of course we never got our snack! It felt like an extremely poor value for our money, which leads me to …

Making Customers Feel ‘Nickel & Dimed’ Won’t Earn Repeat Business:

- After Lisa and I had been sitting with our drinks for a bit, the boys texted us, and we told them to come down and join us. We had already bought them each a 20 oz. soda, which cost a pricey but not unexpected $2.50 each. We asked them if they wanted a bag of chips or pretzels from the ‘market’, and when they grabbed the vending machine-sized bags we were charged … $2.50 each. In the morning we contemplated getting water bottles, but they cost … you guessed it … was $2.50 each! We decided to wait for the rest stop on the Mass Pike, where we got 2x the water for $0.75 less per bottle!

When The One Helpful Person You Meet Is Unsurprised by Your Complaints … It Isn’t a Singular Incident, It Is Systemic:

- A very nice young woman named Amanda helped us check in and get everything we needed … and she was also on duty when we checked out. While she did try to explain the bartender’s inability to make a drink because he was new (which honestly shouldn’t matter, as again the issue wasn’t lack of knowledge but how he dealt with it), she was unsurprised by anything we had to say about anything, though quite frankly there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She was the singular bright light in an otherwise dismal customer service experience – and all she had to do was give us keys and take our money.

I cannot help but feel that the business model Holiday Inn is operating under is distinctly different from Marriott. Whereas Marriott’s was more like a standard hotel with a water park package tacked on, designed such that those with no water park interest could still get a pleasant hotel experience, Holiday Inn seems to be working from the perspective of ‘gouge them while you can, and assume they’ll never return’. As a business traveler, I would never accept this treatment; I have been to places all over the country from different hotel chains and never dealt with such unaccomodating behavior, such a blatant disregard for opportunities to maximize the customer experience, and such a totally unbalanced approach to maximizing cash flow regardless of impact on return visits and word of mouth.

Speaking of word of mouth, when people have a lousy experience, there is often the question of ‘what can *I* do’ other than not go there again? Well, in the age of social media, there is a lot you CAN do. I have already added a ‘tip’ to Yelp, and I plan a full review. We are going to do a review on the Holiday Inn site, and pretty much every other place online where we can voice our opinion. We know a number of people who moved away from Massachusetts when the economy tanked prior to the rest of the country, and most have made at least one trek back in the last five years with more visits planned. We have already gotten the word to some friends that ‘this is not the place you remember’, and told them that it is simply not a good value at this point.

Of course, Holiday Inn can change all of that, and like any company that has taken a good situation and ruined it – I hope they do. But as I have detailed here, it is much more than just not having worn-through desk chairs in guest rooms (yes, they did), or only managing to clear the trash out of elevators at least once in 24 hours (again, sadly yes). Those are ‘nice to do’ items, but when you have a homogeneous attitude and customer treatment across the entire staff of an establishment – especially when it has shifted with new ownership and management, it tends to indicate that the poor situation is there INTENTIONALLY. And that simply won’t do.

On the other hand … the experience made us very much want to get out and go home!

As Judie and I posted last week, the MacBook Pro Retina may be pricey but it is also an amazing computer. Honestly, after using it for almost two weeks I can, without hesitation, call it the best computer I have ever owned. It is fast, quiet, runs cool and it has a screen that must be seen to be appreciated.

Yes, it is the best computer I have ever used. It is also the heaviest notebook I have owned in the last 5+ years and, since it came to Dearborn Michigan with me last week for the GoFurther with Ford gathering, I thought I might run down a few thoughts on the experience of traveling with it.

Apple offers computing power in a variety of weights so let’s start by running them down.

iPad 3 – 1.44 lbs
MacBook air 11″ – 2.38 lbs
MacBook air 13″ – 2.96 lbs
MacBook Pro 13″ – 4.5″
MacBook Pro with Retina – 4.46 lbs
MacBook Pro – 5.6″

The iPad: Over the past few years I have traveled with six out of the seven of these devices. Obviously travel, at least from a weight perspective, with the iPad is the easiest. At under a pound and a half it is 50% the weight of the 13″ MacBook air and a whopping three pounds less than my current Mac. Add in the fact that my iPad has cellular connectivity, a 9+ hour runtime per charge and a camera that is now usable for video AND pictures and you have a fantastic mobile companion. It also, however, has the limitation that comes with running a mobile OS although, to be fair, those limitations are rapidly disappearing as both the hardware and the apps become more powerful.

The 11″ MacBook air: The 11″ MBA is less than a pound heavier than the iPad. That is a huge advantage if you are on the go. Add in the fact that the 11″ MBA runs a full version of OS X and has a full-sized keyboard, the best keyboard ever IMO, and you have a computer that is not only terrific but is also a superb travel companion. It is not all good news though. The 11″ MBA doesn’t have an SD slot and its 5 hours of runtime is more like 3-4 in real-world use. Those are two limitation that, time and again, became problematic when I brought the 11″ MBA to CES last January.

The 13″ MBA: The larger MBA weighs just .6 lbs more than its smaller sibling. That weight is barely noticeable, although the increased size is definitely something about which you will become aware if you move from an 11″ to a 13″ MBA. Still, for many, the tradeoff may be well worth it. After all, the 13″ MBA DOES have an SD card slot and its runtime is rated at 7 hours or more. It can also house up to to 512GB of storage although you will pay dearly for it. Still, it strikes a surprisingly nice balance when considered as a traveling companion.

Since the 13″ MacBook Pro and the standard 15″ MacBook Pro aren’t even in the running for me as options (and in my opinion shouldn’t be for you either… if you aren’t going MBPr get a 13″ air!) let’s jump to it.

The 15″ MacBook Pro with Retina Display: At 4.46 lbs the MBPr is a full 3 lbs heavier than the iPad, and 2 lbs heavier than the 11″ MBA. Still, for the added weight you get an SD slot, a far faster computer, storage of up to 700+ GB and a screen that is remarkable. It gets 7 hours or more of runtime and it runs cool and quiet. All of that is good news. Take it with you on a trip and you will have no-compromise, on-the-go computing.

BUT, and this is a huge BUT, that 4.6 lbs is nothing to sneeze at, especially if you have other gear you are bringing along each day. And if your travel includes a fair amount of moving from one place to another you are going to notice the MBPr become increasingly heavy as the day/s go on. That certainly was my experience last week. Tuesday began with sessions at 7am and we didn’t stop moving until about 11pm. By the end of the day my bag felt like it weighed 900 lbs and my shoulders were killing me. And THAT was with my carrying the Canon G11 instead of the Canon Rebel T3i!

Put another way, if a standard 15″ or the now-discontinued 17″ MBP was your travel companion you will appreciate the lighter weight of the MBPr. If, however, you have been using an Air or an iPad as your travel computer, the MBPr will feel a bit too heavy and you will wonder if bringing it along wasn’t overkill. I know I did.

In short, even though I carried my MBPr in a terrific laptop bag that is designed to spread the weight of the computer evenly, making it more comfortable to carry, I regretted bringing it with me to Dearborn. I could easily have made it through the trip using just my iPad (and perhaps a keyboard). And if I needed a device running OS X? I probably would steal Elana’s 11″ MBA for a few days.

So what is the bottom line? Any of these devices will do for travel. If you need to travel light you would be wise to look into whether you could get by with just the iPad. It is, of course, the most mobile of all the devices but is still quite powerful. If, on the other hand, you need access to OS X, the 13″ MBA is going to be your best bet. It offers the best balance of power, portability and functionality and hits the travel sweetspot better than just about anything else.