3 very cool things: Pirates, babes and VEGAS!

Next time you're in Vegas just chilling out, be sure to swing by Treasure Island Hotel.   Each night at Sirens Cove, Google Map there is a FREE show from 7pm to 8:30pm (and other times).   In Las Vegas a lot of things can cost you A LOT of money, but at least this show if free. 

If you're a booked gusts at Treasure Island you get premiere seating for the shows but even if you're not, you can still watch.  Check them out further at the official site:  TI Pirate Show.

Late 20's airline passenger strips nude in flight!

This past Saturday, November 27th, a woman who was "emotionally disturbed" stripped naked on a Delta flight from Chicago to New York.  They were able to restrain her and upon landing booked her into a hospital in New York.  

(a much calmer Delta flight)

 Today the word is that she won't be charged in the incident.  Reportedly, flight attendants tried to cover the woman with a blanket while she yelled NO, NO, NO!!!

Now that's entertainment you can't buy!  :-)

"Cyber-Monday" hot deal at Amazon!

When you travel it's WAY WAY important to have some good entertainment with you.  Amazon.com has a sweet deal on some luxury headphones:   Boqari Q1M's!   These bad boys run $399 but on Monday (or today) you can get these ear-buds for $59 with FREE shipping!   That's an 85% savings guys!!!

These are $340 dollars cheaper than normal and they ship free!   They work with most phones and and all apple products.

 BOQARI Q1M Metal Earbuds Headphones with Mic $59.  <---order here

I jumped on the deal and they should arrive to me in 3-5 business days.  It's made with hand crafted designer metal housing with square facets and platinum grid lines.  Also, it has a GOLD plated 3.5mm tip for excellent quality and a premium braided cable that's more durable.

I can't wait till I get them, I'll be bumping with Nicki Minaj MP3's before you know it!   Official site of the company:  www.boqari.com.

Royal Caribbean said to be considering cabins for singles

Do you want to sail away into the sunset by yourself yet you don't feel like paying for the big costs of a "doubles" room?   Reportedly, Royal Caribbean is considering retro-fitting several older vessels with singles cabins.  Currently single cabins are a relative rarity in the cruise business, where most companies design around cabins designed for 2 or more guests.

(Norwegian Cruise Line's studio cabin aboard the new "Epic")

Courtesy Norwegian Cruise Line

At least one other cruise company, Norwegian Cruise Line, has already been making the move putting more than 100 single cabins in it's newest ship, Norwegian Epic.  It's a 4,100 passenger fun ship, Norwegian Epic Site.  The company also plans on repeating the move in two more ships due out in 2013 and 2014. 

So...is there a market for singles among all the couples on a cruise ship?

Rihanna in Playboy maybe?

Rihanna says she has no problem posing nude, but no way, no how for money.  She spoke, yesterday, with Angie Martinez of NYC's HOT 97, Angie Martinez Show,  who asked Rihanna if she would ever pose for PLAYBOY magazine.  

Rihanna said she would never pose nude for money, but would consider being nude if it was artistic and she was in control, "but it wouldn't be for a check," she said.

BONUS LINK:  Rihanna Nude?

Lyrics from Rihanna's new upcoming song, S&M.

"Cause I may be bad, but I'm perfectly good at it
Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of it
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me"

 Will this be my XXX-mas present???  :-)

Loud [Deluxe Edition] $12

Gas prices going up for the holidays!

If you're looking to drive to your holiday destination to avoid being grouped at the airport that's going to cost you more too!    The national average for a gallon of regular gas was $2.87 a gallon in this week's survey by the Energy Information Administration. That's up 14 cents from the $2.73 average at the start of October.

At 6,000 pounds the H1 gets around 11 mpg highway.  It'd cost about $82 to make it from Los Angeles to San Fransisco.

Gas is 25 cents more than this time last year and the reason for the increase is simple, demand.  AAA says there will be an 11% increase in Americans taking trips more than 50 miles from home during for the four-day holiday.  Check out their, AAA's, daily gas price web page, it's pretty cool:  fuelgaugereport.com.  Of course I have to live in California, in my next life I'll live in Texas where gas seems to be at least 50 cents cheaper per gallon!

Happy Thanksgiving from Vacation Barefoot Blog!

We wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Just don't play on the computer all day, watch some football!    

* all times posted for PST time, aka California time!

New England vs. Detroit @ 9:30am on CBS

New Orleans vs. Dallas @ 1:15pm on FOX

Cincinnati vs. New York Jets @ 5:20pm on NFL

(times shown in Eastern Time Zone)

NFL's Page:  NFL.COM

More free WiFi use, Delta hooks up you at JFK!

The next time you find yourself in New York you MIGHT get free use of Delta's I-Pads at their gates.  Delta hooked up it's gates at JFK with I-Pads to be used at their restaurants.  Order food, just play around, check your travel plans...

(Click here for unedited photo)

OTG Management says the wireless Internet connection for the iPads is free and travelers don't have to buy food to use the devices. OTG also says it won't impose a time limit on customers' use.  Next, OTG plans to install more iPads at gate restaurants in New York LaGuardia.

(or buy one)

 

 Apple iPad (16GB, Wifi) $480

Which airports in the US can "see your junk"?

With all the recent hoop-la about airports and their body scanning technology machines I figured I had better let you know which airports have these new groovy machines.  There are 400 full-body scanning machines at 69 airports nationwide, according to the TSA.   69 dude!

The TSA website, TSA FAQ's, lists all the airports using advanced-imaging technology to screen passengers. According to them here's where you might find them...

• Albuquerque International Sunport Airport

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

• Boston Logan International Airport

• Houston's George Bush Interncontinental Airport

• Boise Airport

• Bradley International Airport

• Brownsville-South Padre Island Airport

• Buffalo Niagara International Airport

• Charlotte Douglas International Airport

• Chicago's O'Hare International Airport

• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

• Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

• Corpus Christi International Airport

• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

• Denver International Airport

• Detroit Metro Airport

• Dulles International Airport

• El Paso International Airport

• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

• Fort Wayne International Airport

• Fresno Yosemite International Airport

• Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport

• Grand Rapids, Michigan's Gerald R. Ford International Airport

• Harrisburg International Airport

• Valley International Airport in Harlingen, Texas

• Honolulu International Airport

• Indianapolis International Airport

• Jacksonville International Airport

• John F. Kennedy International Airport

• Kansas City International Airport

• LaGuardia Airport

• Lambert-St. Louis International Airport

• Laredo International Airport

• Lihue Airport

• Los Angeles International Airport

• San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport

• McAllen-Miller International Airport

• Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport

• Memphis International Airport

• Miami International Airport

• Milwaukee's General Mitchell Airport

• Mineta San José International Airport

• Minneapolis/St.Paul International Airport

• Nashville International Airport

• Newark Liberty International Airport

• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

• Oakland International Airport

• Omaha Eppley Field Airport

• Orlando International Airport

• Palm Beach International Airport

• Philadelphia International Airport

• Phoenix International Airport

• Pittsburgh International Airport

• Port Columbus International Airport

• Raleigh-Durham International Airport

• Richmond International Airport

• Greater Rochester International Airport

• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

• Salt Lake City International Airport

• San Antonio International Airport

• San Diego International Airport

• San Francisco International Airport

• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

• Spokane International Airport

• T.F. Green Airport

• Tampa International Airport

• Tulsa International Airport

BONUS LINK:  Cure for your nipples at the airport <---our blog post about "pasties"

Muslim passengers sue AirTran

Nine Muslim passengers removed from an AirTran Airways flight last year are suing the airline, saying AirTran intentionally discriminated against them by refusing to rebook them on a flight after the FBI cleared them for travel.   Members of the party, all but one of them U.S.-born citizens who were headed to a religious retreat in Florida, were told to leave the plane when other passengers overheard some of them talking about seat assignments and whether the safest seats were in the aircraft's rear.

 The travelers were booked on a flight from Washington to Orlando on Jan. 1, 2009.  AirTran said Thursday it would not comment on pending litigation but said the airline "denies liability and looks forward to vigorously defending ourselves in court."

Jennifer Skye chills in Jamaica

Out of the most recent Smooth Girl Magazine comes model Jennifer Skye, Jennifer's Twitter.   She's from the Bronx in NYC but for this week, she graced herself on the shores of Negril's Hedonism II and landed one of the magazines covers for her efforts.

* click any pic to enlarge it

Need more?  Get a "behind the scenes video" DVD below


Smooth Live From Jamaica DVD $18

Too hot for UK TV? Beyonce promotes her perfume.

And here I thought the UK was all liberal and stuff.  Beyonces promoting her new line of perfume, Heat, and made a HOT commercial to go along with it.  But apparently, the TV censors of the United Kingdom thought it was just a little TOO hot.

Your thoughts?  Too hot?   Citizens in the UK were complaining that the spot was too sexually provocative.  Coty, the makers of Heat, went on to say that, despite the fact that Beyonce’s cleavage is exposed at certain parts of the commercial, it is not overly graphic or explicitly sexual. At no point is Beyonce ever naked in the ad.

But Christmas IS coming up, maybe some of Beyonce's Heat is just what you need to keep those long winter nights just a little more bearable.   Below you can snag up a bottle from Amazon.com for around $38 and it'll be shipped to you within a week.


Beyonce Heat For Women 3.4-Ounce $38 

Vintage Air Travel - a look back

Oakland to Los Angeles cost today anywhere from $80 and up.  Back in the day?  (40's is it?)  $11.43!

Photo courtesy Port Of Oakland

 And even the kids could see the parents off.  Young man, put your shirt back on!

Photo courtesy Port Of Oakland

 

 My, my, aren't we dobonaire? 

Photo courtesy Port Of Oakland

What is Miami Beach's #1 hotel?

Well, according to TripAdvisor.com, it's "The Tides South Beach", Google Map.  It's a smaller hotel with only 45 rooms and it was completely renovated back in 2007.  Word has it that the staff treats you like a king or queen (as the case may be) adding to the charm of this hotel.  Rooms at this swank hotel start at $250 (if you're lucky) a night and run up to $5,000 per night!   But if you like service, it just might be worth the price...

Reviews over at TripAdvisor, all 273 of them, rant and rave about The Tides service and wonderful staff.  The rooms are nice, the location...Miami Beach, is one of the worlds best.   One reviewer wrote, "The service was quite simply amazing. All the staff were polite, friendly and helpful all the time. The location is perfect, right on Ocean Drive, and we had a gorgeous view of the beach from our room".

(a view from a 4th floor hotel room at The Tides)

Another reviewer sums it up like this, "Small and quaint, yet stylish and sophisticated. Service was excellent!!!".   To check out the hotel yourself start by checking out their web site in the link below, it does look pretty swank!

Official Site:  www.tidessouthbeach.com

The contest winner, a guy named Steve who knows Jamaica!

We're now wrapped up with our first contest, Smooth Girl Magazine Contest, and the winner is Steve out of the UK.  He's winning this year's Smooth Girl Magazine shot in Jamaica, and it's a great magazine.  Here's a little more on Steve who's got a lock on Jamaica and the ladies appreciate him just as much!

Check out Steve in action!

(photos by Steve Burnell, aka JaSoldier - click to enlarge)

Check more of Steve's adventures out at:  http://community.webshots.com/user/JAsoldier.

BONUS LINK's:  Steve catches "real" Jamaican street
dances at Back Bush Dances and Sophia Memorial Dance March 2008.

How to survive the airports this holiday season

This holiday season is going to be busy at airports across the nation according to most travel experts.  Numbers out there put the number at 42.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving alone.  Last year the numbers were around 37.9 million giving this year an 11% boost in travelers. 

And with Napolitano and the rest of the TSA gang in the mist of airport screening drama your wait time at your favorite airport just might get longer.  The Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 28th, is the busiest day of travel and least traveled day is Thanksgiving itself, Thursday the 25th.

Tips to travel wiser...

1. Hit the web before you head for the airport

Check in online up to 24 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave, and print your boarding pass at home.

New since the holidays last year:  More carriers now allow you to check in from your smartphone and use a digital bar code on the screen to pass through the airport.
 
2. Pack light

Avoid checked-bag fees altogether by bringing carry-on luggage only.  Just check with whichever airline you plan on using, there are max sizes allowed on board.

The advantages are is that you can head straight for the security line when you arrive at the airport and skip the baggage carousel after your flight lands at your destination!

New since the holidays last year: Spirit Airlines now charges a fee for carry-ons that passengers place in the overhead bins.  Bastards!

"Most" other airlines allow one piece of luggage and one personal item to be carried on for free by every ticketed passenger.  Cut check out the ultimate airline fee guide on SmarterTravel.com to get a clear picture of any extra charges you might pay.

3. Give yourself plenty of time
 
We recommend getting to the airport at least two hours before your scheduled departure for a domestic flight and three hours before an international trip.  You're gonna need it.

And with the holidays, this rule of thumb is even MORE important.  With all the travelers at the airport you'll be sure to see extra lines and lots of dumb confused people that always seem to show up making your stay at the airport just a little more annoying.  :-)

New since the holidays last year:  Extra screening means that lines may be moving more slowly than ever.  Plus with all the TSA drama in the news, be prepared to be seen nude, digitally or get a nice rub down curiosity of a underpaid "security" guard.

 4. Prepare for the security line

And as you wait in line for your rub-down, don't sweat, it's not THAT bad.  Here are a few ways to not slow down the process:

• Have your boarding pass and ID easily available.

• Remove your shoes.  (wear slip-ons and clean socks for God's sake)

• Make sure all of your liquids are in a zip-top plastic bag that's kept separate from your carry-on bag.  Max size seems to be 3 oz.

• Send coats and jackets through the X-ray machine.

• Take any items that might set off the metal detector -- like keys, loose change and heavy jewelry -- out of your pockets.

• Don't wrap any gifts. If security officers need to inspect a package, they may have to unwrap it.  If traveling with food, check the TSA's list of items that should be checked or shipped ahead.

5. Plan for flight delays



And no matter what, you might be delayed.  Wear comfortable clothing, take along some type of device to keep you entertained, bring along a good book.  ANYTHING to keep you going for a few extra hours of boredom.   And most of all, RELAX, it's the holidays.

BONUS VIDEO - Don't mess with Pam!

Getting a tattoo just before, or on a vacation? Bad idea...

So you want to get a rad tattoo before that big trip so you can lay on the beach and look all cool huh?  That's fine, but get henna!   Tattoo's are something that take time to design, get done then heal up.   Take your time, don't mix your tat with a vacation. 

But if you insist...

At least pre-plan out that ink design and get it done (in a non-rushed way) at least 3 weeks before going on your trip.  Sun, water, sand and chlorine are all enemies of new ink.   So give your skin time to heal then when you DO go, use some type of sunblock on your new artwork to protect it.  

(protection for 4 bucks)

Supre Tattoo SPF 30 Stick

And if you MUST get one while on vacation then research out the tattoo studio before arriving.  How about their reputation with local customers?   Are they safe?   Are they in the US?  Maybe I'm just being paranoid but extra due diligence should be given when getting a tattoo in foreign lands.  (not that all of our lovely US tattoo studios are perfect).

(d-bag Kayne's babe Amber Rose looking inked and good)

Bonus link:  More info about summer and vacation tattoos
 Bonus link part II:   Inked girl of the day

Hotels starting to get photo booths? Wicked cool idea!

You know photo booths, you seem them in malls and game places all the time.  Why not stuff one in a hotel where guests are always taking pics of themselves anyway?   Good idea Soho Beach House in Miami Beach, good idea.  Oh, here's their link:  SoHo Beach House.  

IMHO, it's a brilliant idea!  When on a vacation or even just staying in a hotel room, people are always looking to snap a few photos of themselves.  SoHo's booth is a vintage getup where you and your friend/lovers/strangers can jump in and snap a few retro looking B&W pics.  Cool.   SoHo also includes 50 rooms, a screening snug, 2 pools, a beach club, as well as an expansive Cowshed spa and a Cecconi’s restaurant open to non members.

BONUS LINK:   Kim Kardashian in a Photo Booth (she's so hot)

Need a cheap waterproof camera?

Ok, so back in the spring I ranted and raved about a waterproof camera that we ended up buying, the Olympia Tough Stylus 3000, Waterproof Camera.  And I'm telling you, this thing is the bomb for $200.  It snaps great photos, it's waterproof, you can freeze the damn thing and even drop it from 5 feet high w/o breaking it.   Oh yeah, you can record videos underwater WITH sound.

(ok, my wife made me buy pink, whatever)

Olympus Stylus Tough 3000

But if you're not in the market to spend the $200 and would rather get a cheaper version for your travels then get the Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera.  For $15 (including the shipping) you can have one of these bad boys and still relax pool side, on the beach on in the water.

Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera

This all-weather camera is ready for anything.  It's ideal for shooting outdoors in wet and snowy conditions, and even operates up to 35 feet underwater.  Yes, it's 35mm film and you might have a hard time finding a photo lab to handle it (not really) but for a 5th of the price, it at least gives you some type of waterproofing on your photos.