If you want me, you can find me in the A

Alabama, that is. I head out on Thursday night to celebrate the graduations of the two smartest kids I know, Willy and Leigh Anne. It's my first trip to the deep depths of Alabama as an adult, and I've gotta say, I'm excited to see what the Cotton State has to offer. I assume I'll make it outta there with a story or two, so stay tuned...

Back in Action

Well, it certainly has been a while. We missed you! 2012 was a big year for us - we got engaged, took on new jobs, planned a wedding, and by 2013, we made it down the aisle. It's time to return to real life and get things back in order. That being said, this will no longer be a travel blog - it's a family blog. We want friends and family across the globe to know we are safe, happy, and having fun. Thank you for following along as we shared tips and deals, and we understand if this is where you leave us. However, if you want to stay along, we're pretty fun people and we have lots to say. We'd be happy to have you. Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

The Globe Crashers are taking a Christmas snooze. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you back in 2012 :)!

BookIt.com

Although your Thanksgiving plans are probably already locked in place, when you start thinking ahead for Christmas, look no further than BookIt.com.

The website includes the latest reviews on new hotels, flight deals with no fees, package deals and more. You can search by destination, search by the best deal, and even search by popular group deals and group packages.

DesignSponge City Guide: Puerto Rico

It's getting cold, snow is starting to fall, the holidays are here... why not think about someplace warm and sunny? This post from Keshia Gutiérrez, a freelance fashion and textile consultant who lives in Brooklyn, makes me want to hop the next plane out of here. The Puerto Rican native takes you through the place where she was born and raised, and still visits often, reliving beach trips, tasty food and memories. Enjoy!

"Puerto Rico is well known for its wonderful beaches, festive energy and warm people, but the capital San Juan is also full of art, music and a great restaurant scene. I always suggest staying for couple days to have enough time to get out of the city and explore the rest of the island. Good day trips or weekend getaways include El Yunque rain forest, the offshore islands of Vieques and Culebra, the surfing town Rincón and the city of Ponce.

The below guide includes only the main tourist neighborhoods of San Juan and a curated list of places based on my experiences as a visiting New Yorker. And I would like to thank my dear friend, Lizmarie Domenech, for her help suggesting some of the night hangouts."

For the full article, visit:

http://www.designsponge.com/2011/11/san-juan-puerto-rico-city-guide.html

Deal Update: Save 65% on Hotel Stays

Crowne Plaza is offering a unique deal right now for winter travel: save as much as 65% on your hotel to more than 150 Crowne Plaza locations across the country, AND land free Nike Golf gear - such as balls and clubs - when staying two nights or more. Not too shabby. This deal includes locations such as:

- DALLAS - Downtown, $71-$116 Dec. 1-29
- SAN DIEGO - Mission Valley, $89-$102 Nov. 21-27; Dec. 15-31
- PHOENIX - San Marcos Golf Resort, $90 Friday-Sunday, Nov. 18 - Dec. 23
- ORLANDO - Universal, $99 Nov. 20-27, Dec. 11-22
- D.C. - Hamilton, $99-$109 Friday-Saturday, Nov. 18 - Dec. 24
- CHICAGO - Avenue Downtown, $107 Dec. 18-29
- PENSACOLA - Grand Hotel, $112 Sunday-Thursday, Nov. 20 - Dec. 29
- NEW YORK CITY - Times Square, $259 Dec. 18-22, 24-25

Hotel stays must be booked seven days in advance in order to receive the best deal. Check out their website for more information:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/global/offers/get_a_better_game?cm_sp=IMMerch-_-CP2_US_en-_-MarketingModule2_GetABetterGame

Travel News: TSA Cracks Down on Christmas Travel

Security is going to get a little tight this year at airports across the globe, as passengers tote wrapped presents, carry-on luggage and large gifts for the holidays. After an LA passanger tried to smuggle pounds of marijuana onto a flight, wrapped as a Christmas gift, security plans to check presents, no matter how nicely wrapped. This means:

- Any large items, such as pool cubes or fishing equipment, will be checked
- Wrapped and packaged gifts will be opened (bring extra tape to fix it back up
- Gifts that are already not allowed on planes (pocket knives, etc.) will continue to be banned, even if they are a Christmas present

Just be mindful of your gifts, and maybe arrive to the airport earlier than usual... things could get really slow for a while.

The New Seven Wonders of Nature

Iguazu Falls


In 2007, the "Seven Wonders Foundation" announced the new Seven Wonders of Nature... and once complete, they immediately began a campaign to name the next new group. As we continue to discover places all over the globe, this list will continue to develop, but until then, get to know the new Seven Wonders of Nature, voted on this past week. They are:

1. The Amazon
2. Iguazu Falls
3. Komodo
4. Halong Bay
5. Jeju Island
6. Table Mountain
7. Puerto Princesa Underground River

Halong Bay

For this process, global nominations for sites took place from December 2007 to July 2009. The top 77 were moved on to a short list, from which a panel of experts chose the 28 finalists. According to the New7Wonders site, experts' recommendations were based on five criteria:

- Unique beauty of the nominated site
- Diversity and distribution (accounted for in 7 groups)
- Ecological significance (in terms of either stand-alone eco-systems and/or their significance for human beings)
- Historical legacy (relation that human beings and/or indigenous populations have or have had with the site)
- Geo-location (even distribution of the 28 Official Finalists between all continents)

Travel News: The iPod of Hotels

The age of technology has certainly been upon us for quite some time... but didn't you think we would have robot servants and flying cars by now? Luckily, for those looking for something a bit more futuristic, some hotels have taken technology and service to the next level.

Yotel Times Square, a hip new hotel in NYC, offers the best of what the future has to offer, from robotic belhops to an automated self check-in. Yobot, a 20-foot robotic arm, accepts guests' luggage and secures it in a safe on the main floor. Your bed turns into a comfy sofa with the click of a button. Pretty cool stuff, huh?

"Devised by airplane designers, premium cabin rooms pack luxury into a modest space of 167 square feet, smartly using every inch. With the click of a button, the plush queen bed folds up into a sofa opposite the wall's flat-screen TV and music devices. The room's color palette complements its ultramodern vibe with white walls, purple carpets, and purple mood lighting. In the bathroom, a monsoon shower reproduces the experience of walking through a light tropical rain without the hassle of flying up to the northern Canadian rainforests."

And at this time, they've got a great deal on a one-night stay for two in a cabin, breakfast included, at $149 for the night (53% off).

For the deal and more information, visit:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-c-concierge-business-travel?utm_medium=email&utm_source=channel_getaways-deals&sid=11015486&user=1cf217e3b2666101cb5b426a4a488e0b91fb0e1cc6414d1967a71d12909c4338&utm_campaign=11015486&s=body&d=ga-c-concierge-business-travel&p=2&c=deal_title

Travel News: Foodies Wanted

It seems there is a dream vacation out there for any interest, from the avid explorer to the beach bum. And that statement rings more true than ever after I ran across the most interesting travel website yet: CookingVacations.com.

Foodies everywhere can dine on French cuisine, take a taste-bud tour of Argentina, or experience the exotic flavors of the Caribbean, all while taking in the sights and sounds of the country.

Their website sums it up as:
CookingVacations.com is home to some of the most authentic culinary vacations to be found anywhere in the world. Join a small group of like-minded Foodies on a pre-designed itinerary, or let one of our Culinary Travel Specialists create a cooking vacation customized just for you. There is no better way to understand a region's culture than through its food. Learn to prepare indigenous cuisine, tour the markets with a knowledgeable guide, drink in the sights, sounds and aroma of your new surroundings as you nibble and nosh your way through exciting destinations.

The website is easy to navigate, and you can search by country to see what tours are available. You are also able to sign up for weekly emails on deals and specials the website is hosting.

Check it out:

www.cookingvacations.com