travel stuff

More huge savings on flash-travel! Newcomer site: Spire

by Kirsten on June 22, 2011

Spire.com is the newest kid on the block with travel flash-sales

I can’t get enough of flash-sale travel sites. In fact, about 75% of my most recent travels have been, in part, due to these darn sites knowing just how to tickle my fancy and get me to bite! They offer amazing deals that cannot be booked elsewhere. (Yes, that includes Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak… etc)

From Jetsetter, to Snique Away , Vacationist , and VoyagePrive (who btw is now partnering with one of my favorite fashion flash-sale sites, ideeli), a new kid is now on the block…..Spire.

Spire just launched on Tuesday and promises to offer deals on luxury hotels that are at least 30 percent off the lowest rates found anywhere else! Seriously, how can you refuse?!

For those that are unfamiliar, perhaps a bit hesitant to jump into this new way of booking travel, I’ll explain a bit as to how it works.

Most sites offer a small variety of travel sales on hotels, cruises, or full vacation packages for only a few days at a time. Once the deal has passed, it’s gone, and you lost your chance at a great savings. Typically, these sales are restricted to members only and often you have to be invited by another member to join in the fun and savings. (Interested in joining? Use the links above and/or on the side of the page for travel sample sale sites).

Spire is offering something very needed, the chance to cancel or change your reservation with 72 hours after booking, something many of the other sites do not allow. Yes, sometimes there is a catch with these flash sites (albeit a very small one in my humble opinion). You will get charged a $29 fee, but no biggie if it means you get the rest of your money back!

The competition is getting fierce in this industry, and that makes me one happy girl. Competition hopefully equals even better travel deals. Fingers crossed!

Spire also offers a best-deal guarantee, which works in conjunction with their 30%-lower price guarantee. “If you purchase something on our site for $1,000 and find the same offer somewhere else for $1,200, we’ll still give you $100 in Spire credits because we weren’t 30 percent lower,” said Jennifer Gaines, the company’s senior travel editor.

Like I mentioned before, they are up to some fierce competition, many of whom are upping their game at a seemingly rapid rate. Who will hail as the best? I think it’s still up in the air.

Be on the lookout soon for Groupon Getaways, a proposed joint offering between Groupon and Expedia. Expected to launch in the coming weeks, they plan to offer up to 50% hotels in both the US and Canada, eventually including deals on airfare, cruises, and vacation packages. I’ll be waiting to see how this turns out.

What do you think of all these sites? Have you tried them out yet? Are you a huge fan like me? Tell us your thoughts below by leaving a comment!

Love, K.

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Travel Packing: How to Pack Jewelry

by Kirsten on May 12, 2010

Packing jewelry can be a bit of a drag to try and figure out. Putting your chandelier earrings, long necklaces, bracelets, and more within one bag is a disaster waiting to happen. In fact, you are going to end up with a big lump of jewelry that will take you hours to pull apart. But hey, if you’re into turning your jewelry into a mind-bending puzzle for kicks, then go right ahead! I am going to help you find a better way to pack your jewelry, making your travel packing more efficient and organized!

Depending on how long you plan to travel, as well as how much jewelry you want to bring, this will dictate the type of jewelry case or bag you will need. For example, a weekend away may only mean you bring an extra set of jewelry for one day, whereas going on a trip for a week or longer most likely means you will have a lot more accessories to pack.

Here are my recommendations as to how to keep your jewelry organized while traveling. These items will keep your necklaces from tangling, giving everything its own compartment. I like to find items that are either very thin in size or flexible, this enables them to be stored just about anywhere in your bag!

Smart Jewelry Case – Pink – $22.95
This item is great with tangle-free peg system, and anti-tarnish liner to organize and protect all your precious jewelry. At a size of 9.5″ by 4″ and just 1.5″ inches thin, it will easily fit in even your smallest, most packed bags! (Also comes in black, silver, and red/white/blue)

Find more great jewelry cases for traveling after the jump!

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Jet Blue Offers Fares for $10 for Last Minute Travel!

by Kirsten on May 10, 2010

In celebration of their tenth anniversary, JetBlue is offering $10 flights both May 11 and May 12 to a variety of destinations!! You must book quickly before their sale is over!

Remember – Jet Blue is still awesome as they allow you to check your first bag for free! Hitch a ride in the next couple days and you will be paying a fraction of the cost! You can even choose a return date later in the week and still get the low fare for your flight out! This is too good not to pass up!! I would love to take advantage of this and fly to New York!

Love, K.

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What to Bring Home From Your Trip, and What to Leave Behind

by Kirsten on May 7, 2010

One of the most fun parts of traveling involves searching for something unique to bring home. These souvenirs are meant to invoke wonderful memories of your trip, and whenever you gaze upon them, or use them, you can picture yourself back in that moment in time. Unfortunately, people often get caught up in the “shopping” experience, and bring home way too much crap, souvenirs you don’t want. And when I say crap, I mean cheap touristy trinkets or t-shirts that are sold on every corner, tourist shop, or market. Usually these items are not even made in the area, they are sent in from some other country overseas, and are pure junk. Sellers bank on people buying these items, which is why you will see them EVERYWHERE. When I was still a novice traveler, I too bought a bunch of these trinkets, and surprise, surprise, they don’t serve any purpose in my home, and are left to gather dust in some drawer or box. I am going to help you decipher what is junk, what to leave behind, and what should come home in your hands as a prized travel possession.

The first crappy items to avoid are cheap t-shirts depicting some lame phrase or picture of the area. This just screams “I am made of crappy materials” and are bound to become a cleaning rag one day. I too love bringing home wearable items, but I have a rule of thumb for these t-shirts. Do not buy the t-shirts in the little mini-marts or sidewalk stands full of cheap touristy items. Again, they are not made by the locals of the area, and you are not supporting the true artisan handcrafts of the people living there. True, you are supporting someone’s business, but there are tons of other ways to do this. In fact, you can find someone who actually took the time to make something with their own two hands. When is it appropriate to buy a t-shirt? I say when you are visiting a really special location IN your travel destination. For instance, Lafitte’s Bar in New Orleans, said to be the oldest bar in America. You cannot buy these t-shirts unless you are in their bar. Awesome way to remember the place and when others see you wearing it who have also been there, you have an instant new friend and way to reminisce about each of your travels to the area. (They also are not made of see-through cotton, which I can vouch for). Or, when my bf D. and I visited St. Croix, we picked him up a special edition t-shirt from the Cruzan Rum Factory (delicious stuff by the way). Again, this t-shirt could only be bought from this location and was of high quality. So, the rule? Buy from an actual physical location you are visiting, where you can ONLY get the t-shirt from that particular spot.

read about the souvenirs to bring home and what souvenirs to avoid after the jump!

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How to Get Upgraded on the Airplane

by Kirsten on May 1, 2010

Traveling is one of those things that sometimes comes with a little bit of pain and suffering. In this instance, I am speaking specifically about traveling via airplanes. Coach class leaves much to be desired, and yet most of us don’t have the funds to bump ourselves up. (I sure as heck don’t). That being said, there are a few ways that potentially can give you an edge at being upgraded. Let’s start with the basics and move to more of the specifics.

get the top six upgrade tips after the jump

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Travel Smart – Restaurant Etiquette

by Kirsten on April 30, 2010

Mykonos, Greece by Kirsten Owens

Let me start this out with a disclaimer: this Denim Blogger was once, for an extended period of time, a server. I brought people food and drink, and they gave me money. It was a good system for the most part, but there are a couple of things that Kirsten and I think you need to know before you walk into a restaurant – no matter what country you find yourself in.

read the top tips and tricks for superb restaurant etiquette

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Airplanes – Top Ten Disgusting Things People Do While Flying

by Kirsten on April 29, 2010

Ew. Ew. EW. Thinking about what is really going on your flight in the seat behind you, is pretty gross, in fact, I think you’d be shocked to know the horrible things flight attendants have come across. Sure, there are some things people may think are totally acceptable, and others will think are downright disgusting, but these things I think we all will agree are grounds for revoking your flying privileges FOREVER. Jaunted polled its readers as well as compiled their own list of the most disgusting things people do on an airplane. I took some of theirs and added some of my own. Get ready, next time you may re-think flying.

read all the gross behaviors after the jump!

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Your Traveling Fashionista is Off to Hawaii!

by Kirsten on April 27, 2010

Hey Everyone, I will be off to beautiful Hawaii tomorrow, but don’t worry, I have lots of fun posts planned for you. I will be available as usual by email and will be connecting in via Facebook and Twitter as well. For those that have yet to do so, you can easily follow me using the buttons on the right sidebar of my page. Also, another great idea if you haven’t signed up yet, is to get my daily updates via email. I don’t expect all of you to be able to check my page throughout the day, so an email is a great way to keep yourself posted.

Tonight I will be working on a really fun post for tomorrow which will include all sorts of great pics of my travel packing! Yes, they will actually be pictures of my stuff and give you an idea of my packing style. I have told you time and time again that I never check a bag, so this will be a great way to see what goes into all that. If I was really cool I would post it as a video, but that may be really difficult tonight. Who knows!?! Nevertheless, look for that post tomorrow.

I’ll come back with lots of beautiful pictures to share, and will begin posting some reviews. Most importantly, I will be doing a review of the property I am staying at, complete with pictures and suggestions. I have been meaning to do this for a while now, but have yet to start. Most reviews will be of places that I find particularly special and worth mentioning (otherwise the review portion of this site would be insanely crazy). There will also be the case in which I may review a place that I was not happy with. Should you have any questions about my trip, or suggestions, please leave them in the comments below! I already had one reader (thanks Natalie!!) send me such an awesome to-do list, you will be sure to hear about some of her great recommendations upon my return.

So, don’t miss me too much, actually that will be tough with the great line-up I have planned! And keep your eyes out for one of my favorite people on the web doing an exclusive guest post on Traveling Fashionista!!

Love, K.

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Stylish Luggage – Tumi Announces “Colorization”

by Kirsten on April 27, 2010

Tumiluggage has been long known for carrying high quality luggage and is the leading international brand of luxury travel, business and lifestyle accessories. Available at fine department stores and specialty stores as well as 80 Tumi stores internationally, their brand is synonymous with fine materials, skilled production and ingenuity, and functional superiority and technical innovation. With those accomplishments under their belt, it’s no wonder they are such a leader in the luggage industry. They may not be cheap (although you can definitely find them on sale), but they are going to last a long time, and you know you are carrying the best.

read all about Tumi’s Colorization option complete with pricing after the jump!

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Smart Packing – Three Ways To Help You Pack Lightly

by Kirsten on April 22, 2010

Always looking for a way to get more out of my travel bags, I have found three things work really well in helping you get the most out of your limited luggage space. Packing smart is about saving space as well as keeping your clothes, shoes, and toiletries from getting squished. Here are three suggestions that I use when packing:

Stuff Everything!

When I say stuff everything, I mean use every nook and cranny. Put stuff inside your shoes, like underwear or socks! Slide flip flops into the outer pockets as they don’t take up more than just a fraction of space. If I have a hat that I don’t want to completely collapse, I stuff it with bathing suits or something else small to keep the form. (Personally I recommend buying a collapsible hat, they are great!) Bring a tote instead of your purse as your “personal item”. This enables you to put your purse inside your tote, and have a bunch of additional space for in-flight reading materials, snacks, toiletries, etc.

two more tips to help you pack smart – and light!!