My boyfriend and I will be going to be taking a trip to Europe in the near future. We will be flying (first class, mind you) to Paris and either Barcelona or Rome. In Paris we will be staying two nights at one of the best hotels in the city, with the highest amenities. Did I mention that this will be free? It might sound too good to be true, but it's not.
Welcome to the game of frequent flyer miles and points. A game, if played right, that can lead to upgrades and free trips. It takes some research but can be very fun along the way.
About eight months ago, I took a look at our finances and realized that we were using our debit card all the time and getting nothing for it. With no credit card debt, we decided to look into getting a credit card that could finally give us some rewards. So I took a hard look at what kind of cards and reward programs were offered for airlines. Little did I know what I would find.
We both signed up for a CitiCard American Airlines credit card that was offering a 75,000 mile bonus to apply by only spending $1500 in 3 months. By using my credit card for every purchase -- and I mean every purchase -- I was able to easily reach this limit. And then poof! I instantly had enough miles for three free round trip tickets to anywhere in the US, and was well on my way to a free overseas flight. It's a great strategy, but if you're going to try it make sure that you are able to pay off the entire balance each month so you don’t earn interest. My Hyatt Card gave me two free nights at any Hyatt in the world and instant platinum status.
Did you know that you can get miles and hotel points for almost anything? I do all of my online shopping through my favorite airline or hotel’s shopping site. I cancelled and resigned up for Netflix to get a 4000 mile bonus. My boyfriend and I even will pick restaurants that offer five miles per dollar spent through a special dining site. The possibilities are endless!
The second section of New York City's High Line Park opened this week, and since I only live a block away I was very excited to explore its new features. The new section is beautifully planned with rising and falling walkways that give unique views of 10th avenue and its buildings (and inside a few people's homes!), but what was the most surprising was what lied at the end.
At 30th street there is a pop-up biergarten with food trucks and drinks, but my attention quickly shifted from the sounds and smells of snacking when I saw these huge striped balloons in front of me. After taking some time to bop and spin these giant inflatables I stopped for a minute to watch everyone else have fun. Check it out:
The art exhibit is called Rainbow City and is presented by FriendsWithYou.com and AOL and is a ton of fun! If you're in NYC you had best go explore them soon, because Rainbow City is only on display until July 5.
Here's a shot of the who installation from the High Line Park.
This video and photo were taken around 9:00pm EST on Wednesday June 8, 2011.
If you really think about it, It's hard to imagine a time before the Kardashians ruled the airwaves. Between the sheer number of members of the family to the countless spin-offs Keeping Up with the Kardashians has created it's easy to lose track of just how many seasons that show has been on TV.
Believe it or not Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres its sixth -- yes, sixth! -- season this Sunday June 12 at 10pm on E!, and the lovely ladies of the series have posed for some gorgeous new promo shots. Check 'em out!
Today was Meredith Vieira's last day on the Today Show, and while I don't personally know her, I will come to miss spending my mornings with her. Creepy? Maybe. True? Definitely.
One of the most important things about anchoring the Today Show is having the ability to go from interviewing controversial news figures to dressing up like Lady Gaga for Halloween. Somehow Meredith managed to do this with ease, humor and grace. She can definitely take an interview subject to task and call their bluff, but my personal favorite moments are when Meredith is having fun with a guest and her co-hosts.
In 2006 I was a Page at NBC (Yes, like Kenneth on 30 Rock before he was a thing.) One of my rotating assignments was in news media -- the department responsible for handling the publicity for NBC News's programs like Nightly News, Dateline and the Today Show. Shortly after I started the news broke that long-time anchor Katie Couric would be leaving the show (check out Katie and I on her last day at NBC). Names quickly started flying about who would replace her.
Tonight the 16 remaining singers will battle it out as NBC's hit singing competition The Voice goes live. To kick off the live episodes the four coaches -- Cee-Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton -- will come together to perform a medley of memorable Queen songs.
The four coaches will perform a three-song medley of Queen hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions." This is the first time they'll perform since the season premiere rendition of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." Should be a fun way to kick off the live shows!
If you haven't been watching The Voice, first off - Why? It's awesome. Secondly, have no fear! Now that the blind auditions and battle rounds are over tonight is the perfect time to jump on board. Keep reading to get a quick scan of the four teams and 16 contestants before tonight's live show.
