This week Jen Leo, Spud Hilton, Chris Christensen and I are joined by this week’s guest: Stephen Harris author of Traveling Through North Korea: Adventures in the Hermit Kingdom and bigbeaverdiaries.com Subscribe on Apple Podcasts This Week’s News Japan Airlines introduces baby seat map to allow passengers to avoid infants New 4,000-Mile Trail Will Let …
Read moreThis Week in Travel – Episode 257
The post This Week in Travel – Episode 257 appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.
2019 has seen several equine stars emerging – here are seven big names that you may not even have heard of before the start of this year.
1. Sintano Van Hof Olympia
This nine-year-old son of Sandro Hit has been with Gareth Hughes for some years, but it has been in 2019 that he has really made people sit up and take notice. The talented, bouncy bay, whom Gareth describes as an “out-and-out athlete”, caught the eye when beating Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St John Valencia to the national inter I title in September, and he has been unbeaten at small tour at his two international shows since.
2. Erlentanz
Having made his grand prix debut in 2018 with owner Sonnar Murray-Brown, this 12-year-old Latimer gelding became the principle top level ride of Charlotte Dujardin during the first half of 2019, as she took over the reins while Sonnar recovered from a broken leg. Charlotte thinks very highly of this little gelding, and it’s no wonder — having won at Bolesworth and Windsor, they then turned in super results at CHIO Aachen in July, finishing third in the grand prix special with over 80%. Sonnar will be back in the saddle next year, and it will be exciting to see how far Erly can go when reunited with his owner.
3. Midnight II
There’s a good chance many people would not have heard of this 10-year-old black mare before this year, nor perhaps her rider, Georgia Wilson. But the talented pair were responsible for Britain’s sole gold medal from the Rotterdam European Championships in August, scoring a euphoric victory in the grade II para dressage freestyle, as well as winning individual silver and playing a huge role in helping the British team secure team silver. Georgia and Midnight have remained unbeaten since, sweeping the board at the national championships and the Keysoe CPEDI in October.
4. Headmore Bella Ruby
Alice Oppenheimer has many exciting horses in her string, but this Belissimo M daughter may not have caught your attention until this year. In April she won her first national title, taking the winter elementary gold title under Alice, before going on to scoop numerous other wins throughout the year. Her fast progression through the levels was confirmed when, just five months after her elementary title, she won the advanced medium gold at the summer nationals, aged just seven. This is definitely a mare to keep an eye on in 2020.
5. Mount St John Valencia
Charlotte Dujardin has claimed the national inter I freestyle title for the past three years, on three different mares, and in 2019 it was the turn of the fiery Vivaldi nine-year-old Mount St John Valencia. The mare competed very successfully under Michael Eilberg, but it has been during her first season ridden by Charlotte that she has turned the most heads — “she is my type of horse,” says the double Olympic champion.
6. Keystone Dawn Chorus
This Dimaggio daughter did very well under Beth Bainbridge at novice and elementary, but when she was bought by para multi-medallist Natasha Baker early in 2019 it seemed a perfect match. Natasha has had a stellar first season with the eight-year-old, whom she plans to campaign for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020. Their successes in their short time together include being reserve national champions at novice silver, and wiping the board at their first international para competition in October.
7. MSJ Charmer
Charlotte Dujardin often seems to have a never ending stream of fantastic horses, and early this year she debuted the exciting MSJ Charmer. The five-year-old Charmeur gelding is owned by Charlotte, along with Verity Jenner, but had been competed up until this year by Rob Barker, who rode him in four-year-old classes and qualified him for the regionals. He and Charlotte wasted no time making an impact together, winning at regionals and going on to become novice gold winter champions. “Cookie” has had a quiet 2019 since this success, but look out for him in 2020.
Posted: 11/16/19 | November 16th, 2019
One of the best parts about running a business is the cool business travel credit cards you get access to. These cards tend to have a lot better points-earning abilities and perks than consumer cards. I’ve been running this website for eleven years and have tried a lot of cards during that time.
I’m often asked by other bloggers, creators, and entrepenuers which business travel credit card is the best.
Well, first, let me say, there is no “best.”
Every business is different, and everyone has different needs. For example, I love the Amex Platinum card’s Delta lounge perk since I fly Delta a lot. (The Centurian Lounges are wonderful too.) Similarly, I love the Delta card because the Medallion Qualification Miles (MQM) bonus helps me maintain my status. But if you aren’t a Delta flier, then that card doesn’t make sense for you. I also use Chase Ink a lot because their Ultimate Rewards points transfer to a lot of airlines I want to fly. But maybe you like to fly other airlines.
Everyone is different. I have friends who live by American Airlines card, Citi Cards, American Express, and so forth. We’re all different.
So ask yourself, “What is my goal?”
Are you interested in loyalty to a brand, free rewards, or avoiding fees? Do you want to milk the rewards and bonus system to get free flights, or do you just want a card that won’t charge you a fee for using it at that restaurant in Brazil? Is elite status the most important perk for you? Do you want points you can use like cash for anything?
Get the card that aligns with your goals.
But, while there is no one “best” card, there are some that are better than others. Here is my list of favorite travel-related business credit cards.
This is my favorite all-around business card. I really like transferring Chase points for Star Alliance flights and Hyatt hotels, I love the 3x points on digital ad spends (we run a lot of Facebook ads), and when you throw in 3x points per dollar spent on travel and you have everything I need. Plus, with an annual fee of only $95, it’s really unbeatable value for money. When you get this card, you’ll get:
This card should be in every business owner’s wallet. I can’t recommend it enough.
—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!
This is one of the best cards out there, especially if you’re a Delta flyer or make a lot of large purchases. The perks include the following:
Fees: $595 annually, no foreign transaction fees
While the annual fee is pretty high, it does come with a lot of travel benefits that I tend to use a lot. The welcome bonus definitely makes it a no-brainer in the first year so you can get all those points. The added statement credits and lounge access makes the card worth carrying for me.
—-> Sign up for this card by clicking here!
I like this card because you get two points on everything. It’s simple. So I use this for the non-bonus categories like paying vendors, restaurants, and whatever else doesn’t come with a bonus from Amex or Chase. Whatever I can’t get 3 points per dollar on them with, I use this card for. When you sign up, you get the following benefits:
This is a great card to earn extra points on your biggest spending categories. You can get up to 4x points on selected categories so I will put my two largest spending categories on this card. This card comes with a $295 yearly fee and the following perks:
What about airline and hotel cards? Well, you should get the card for the airline and/or hotel you’re loyal to because they come with free checked bags and preferred boarding and a few other perks. I tend not to use them for my everyday spending since you get better value per dollar spent with Chase or American Express.
I always get the cards for the bonus offer and then keep the cards for the perks. Most fees are only $95 a year so it’s an easy business expense.
Here are my favorite business cards for various airlines and hotels:
***
There are a lot of options for business cards, so you can always find something to meet your needs. I usually split my spending between a few cards and then shift my spending if I need to hit any bonus requirements. I have a Delta card for the pay-with-points option, a Marriott card because I stay there a lot, and Chase and American Express cards for everything else.
If you don’t want this many cards and want to keep things simple, stick to a hotel or airline card for the perks and then pick whatever one other card has the most perks you need and just use those!
Advertiser Disclosure: “Nomadic Matt has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Nomadic Matt and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.”
Editorial Disclosure: “Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.”
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the largest inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and that will save you time and money too!
The post The Best Business Travel Credit Cards for Digital Nomads appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
HI there friends! I’m still in Nashville today, heading home tomorrow, but this week’s Home Style Saturday is full of inspiration as always. I don’t know about you, but I’ll start my Christmas decorating next week. It’s time to get going and even though I’m not quite in the mood to drag those boxes and bins out of the basement, as soon as I put on the Christmas music, I know it will all kick in and I’ll get it done. I love to be finished by Thanksgiving week, so I can enjoy the Holiday parties and festivities!
Enjoy all that follows!
The post Home Style Saturday Holiday Inspiration 165 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
Walk through the most recogizable sets from Downton Abbey, see more than 50 costumes worn by the actors and discover never-before-seen artifacts and multimedia elements.
Downtown Abbey: The Exhibition is on display now at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina! The exhibition runs November 8, 2019 through April 7, 2020.
Showcased across two locations at Biltmore Estate (Amherst and Legacy), the exhibition gives you the chance to step inside the world of the global television phenomenon. The experience is highly immersive, including a
I’m in Nashville through the weekend, but hope you all have a good one. Today’s Feature Friday is a gal I’ve shared before on her previous house, under The Happier Homemaker. Melissa has since moved a few times with her military husband, but now he’s retired and they have bought their forever home near Savannah, GA. Enjoy the tour of her house and all they’ve done in the last couple of years they’ve been here. Her new blog is called South Georgia House, where she shares DIY projects and decorating ideas.
The post Feature Friday: South Georgia Style appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
Are you looking to soak up the sun and explore a tropical paradise all without leaving the U.S. mainland? If so, I’ve got your go-to place! It boasts fabulous sunny weather, delightful ocean breezes, and magical sunsets—and plenty of fun things to do, too. You’ll find this much and more in beautiful South Florida! I’ve …
Read more15 Things to Do in South Florida
The post 15 Things to Do in South Florida appeared first on Everything Everywhere Travel Blog.
Posted: 11/14/2019 | November 14th, 2019
We’re now a little more than 6 months from TravelCon 2020! (Where does the time go?)
Today, I wanted to give you a little update on what we are doing with the event. As I mentioned last time, we’re making a lot of changes to the event:
There’s a lot of exciting stuff happening. Moreover, we’re flushing out our speaker list a lot more and, while we still have some more to go, we’ve confirmed some new speakers for you:
(For a full list of speakers, check out this page!)
Moreover, we’ve worked on our schedule more and I’m happy to announce that some of the talks you’ll find this year will include:
I mean we’ve got a lot more talks than that but those are some of the new ones we’re adding this year!
Additionally, while I can’t give specifics in this email (the ink isn’t dry yet), we’ve lined up 20 confirmed sponsors so far, including a lot of new DMOs we haven’t had before! I’m really excited about that as we’re continuing to expand and grow the event! (If you’re interested in sponsoring, check out this page!).
We’re really excited about next year’s event. Over the next few months, we’ll be nailing down our firm party, fam trips, and other plans and will be sharing them again in the new year!
If you want to attend the event, tickets to this year’s TravelCon are $349 until 12/31, when prices will go up to $399.
We’re capping our ticket sales at 800 again this year. We’ve currently sold 300 tickets to next year’s event and expect to sell out again so don’t wait to get a ticket.
That’s it for today’s update! I hope to see you at this year’s event! If you have questions, ask in the comments and I’ll answer them.
– Matt
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel – and I think will help you too!
Want More Information on the United States?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on the United States for even more planning tips!
The post TravelCon: Speakers, Talks, and More News! appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.
The Blue Ridge Mountain legacies of craft and creativity take the spotlight in 2020 in Asheville, N.C.!
Asheville marks four major art center openings with immersive experiences. Other new creative offerings in the coming year include full moon yoga hikes, an Art Deco food hall curated by James Beard honorees, a collaboration between Asheville’s oldest and newest breweries and a vinyl record plant with a music café and bar.
Here are just a few of the reasons why you should travel to Asheville in 2020!
Long-known
I’m trying something different today for Fashion over 50. I’ve seen lots of fashion bloggers do dressing room try ons, so I am trying that today! I stopped in my local Target and found a few things that would be good for this time of year, so come along with me.
Now here’s a disclaimer. Never go into Target with the thought that you’re just going to try something on. Inevitably, you’ll find something that comes home with you, just as what happened to me. I brought 2 things home.
The post Fashion over 50: Target Finds! appeared first on Southern Hospitality.
