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Saying “Aloha” to Aloha—The End of an Era

When my 3-year-old daughter and I boarded Aloha Airlines Flight 240 bound from Hilo to Honolulu just three weeks ago there’s no way I could have ever imagined it would be our last. As I write this passengers are boarding the last flights Aloha Airlines will fly between the Hawaiian Islands. After 61 years in business the carrier says it is bankrupt and will end passenger service later tonight. The news means nearly 2,000 of Aloha’s approximately 3,500 employees will be out of jobs by the end of today. It also means that travelers holding reservations on Aloha are out … Continue reading →

Toys with Secrets

What happen to the days when you could go shopping for a doll and not have to worry about upsetting an entire segment of the population? Parents, whose young daughters are avid American Girl doll fans, listen up: Some vocal historians don’t want you to buy Rebecca Rubin—-the latest member of the American Girl family. Apparently, her name conjures up bad memories for those who were affected by a series of fires in Oregon. Dear, sweet Rebecca Rubin—-the new American Girl doll-—is a nine-year-old growing up in New York City in 1914. She is a daughter of Russian-Jewish immigrants and … Continue reading →

ABC Reality TV Stars Hook Up… Maybe

Now here’s a romance that should make execs at ABC very, very happy. According to Us Weekly, “Dancing with the Stars” pro mover and shaker Karina Smirnoff (a.k.a. Mario Lopez’s ex-girlfriend) and “The Bachelor” Andy Baldwin (a.k.a. Marla Maples’ ex-boyfriend and Tessa Horst’s ex-fiance) having been getting their groove on… together… in public. Word of the romance leaked yesterday, but today Smirnoff issued a statement saying that the rumored hook up is just that—“rumors, rumors, rumors.” The 30-year-old smoking hot dancing queen told Us, “I’m sure Andy is a cool guy; however, there is absolutely no truth to any of … Continue reading →

Hawaii—-A Whale of a Travel Deal

Regular readers of this blog know I am constantly on the look out for travel deals to Hawaii, especially now. That’s why this following bargain is so noteworthy. As the busy summer travel season winds down and the slower fall months creep up on us I can only hope that deals like these will become more prevalent. (One can hope.) If you have been holding out for a reasonable package deal to one of the Hawaiian Island’s most incredible spots this is the deal for you. For just $1,039 per person you will receive roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles (add … Continue reading →

Cool Cruise Deals to Paradise

Regular readers of this blog know that I track travel deals to Hawaii very carefully. And with the recent demise of Aloha Airlines and the skyrocketing price of fuel, bargains to paradise are relatively non-existent. So when I was notified of this next cruise deal to the Pearls of the Pacific my jaw dropped. Some of the Aloha State sailings reflect savings of nearly 50%. Take a look: NORWEGIAN This early-bird special offered by Orbitz is a real steal. It takes place aboard Norwegian’s Pride of America and sets sail in December 2009. The seven-night voyage departs round trip from … Continue reading →

Sizzling Summer Airfare Bargains

It took the demise of one of my favorite airlines and the introduction of an insane new carrier fee for me to finally stop procrastinating and sign up for a service that tracks down the most affordable airfare rates available. It what might be the smartest move I’ve made in a long time–I finally became a member of the Airfarewatchdog.com team. I can’t say enough about the incredible deals offered by this travel site that employs analysts to monitor every airline and search for the lowest fares on the market. What I love about this site is that once you … Continue reading →

Celeb Splits: Mark and Sabrina, Andy and Marla, and Suri and Her Bottle

MARK AND SABRINA The other day I made the comment that more successful hook ups take place on a single season of “Dancing with the Stars” than on years of ABC’s other reality series “The Bachelor.” I counted pro dancer Mark Ballas and his former Cheetah Girl celebrity partner Sabrina Bryan among the “success” stories, but alas I may have spoken too soon. According to US Magazine, the sizzling hot couple, who met in November 2007 when they were partnered together on season five of DWTS, split a few weeks ago. “We are just friends now,” Ballas told US following … Continue reading →

Paradise Lost

I knew it was too good to last. Whereas I was hopeful that inter-island airfare in Hawaii would remain affordable at least until my daughter graduated from high school (in about 15 years), the recent demise of Aloha Airlines all but obliterated that dream. On March 31st, Aloha Airlines, a legend (think 60 years plus) in Hawaiian aviation, abruptly stopped flying. Two days later ATA, an airline that offered cheap flights from the West Coast to Hawaii shut down as well. The combined work stoppage meant Hawaii lost 15% of its service from the mainland, or about 1.1 million seats … Continue reading →