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Daily Archives: September 21, 2012

American Airlines apologizes for flight delays

September 21, 2012 admin No comments

While American Airlines pilots deny there is an organized effort to disrupt flights as the company negotiates with unions during bankruptcy proceedings, constant delays within the carrier have skyrocketed, leaving passengers angry and frustrated. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

American Airlines is apologizing to its best customers for the recent upswing in delayed and canceled flights.

The airline sent email messages Friday to members of its AAdvantage loyalty program saying it was sorry for the inconvenience.

"We understand how irritating and unfortunate this is in interrupting or delaying their travel plans," said American Airlines spokesman Bruce Hicks. "We appreciate their patience and hope for their understanding."

AAdvantage president Suzanne L. Rubin said the airline has added staff in maintenance, reservations and at airports to help travelers.

Rubin said if delays will cause someone to arrive more than an hour late, American will try to book the passenger on another flight — even on another airline — or cancel the reservation and give a refund.

American, based in Fort Worth, Texas, blames an increase in delays and cancellations on a surge of maintenance requests filed by crews and by an uptick in pilots calling in sick. The pilots' union says there is no organized sickout or work slowdown.

As of Friday afternoon American had canceled 310 flights this week, more than the next three airlines combined, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. American canceled many of those flights well in advance to adjust its schedule to crew and aircraft numbers, and cancellations dropped from 61 Wednesday to 17 on Thursday and 17 on Friday, according to FlightAware.

For several days early in the week, more than half of American's flights arrived late, according to another service, FlightStats.com.

Information from the Associated Press is included in this report.

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Get lost in these 5 amazing corn mazes

September 21, 2012 admin No comments

A family in Canada has built the world's largest QR code out of a corn maze. TODAY.com's Dara Brown reports.

Farmers know: If they build it, you will come.

We’re talking about corn mazes — works of art, amusement parks and fall attractions all rolled into one.

Creating a maze is high-tech these days, with the pattern designed on a computer and then carefully transferred onto a corn field with the help of grids, detailed maps and even satellite navigation systems.

“(Our maze creator) uses a GPS that is attached to a small tractor. He downloads the maze layout to the device and it tells him every turn to make,” said Misty Duren, who manages the Corn Dawgs maze in Loganville, Ga.

Here are five corn mazes to remember.

Kraay Family Farm — Lacombe, Alberta
This 15-acre maze contains the world’s largest Quick Response (QR) code — scan it with your smartphone from above and it links you to the farm’s website.

Courtesy Kraay Family Farm

The Kraay Family Farm's 15-acre corn maze in Lacombe, Alberta, contains the world's largest QR code.

The Kraay family, which has been creating corn mazes for 13 years, came up with the idea while brainstorming for this year’s design.

“We were looking through some magazines and noticed how many QR codes there were,” said Rachel Kraay.

“I thought, they kind of look like a maze, I wonder if we can make one, and then it snowballed from there. We thought it was a fun play on technology and corn being an ancient crop.”

There were tense moments when the family went up in a helicopter to scan the maze for the first time and found the QR code didn’t work. The problem? Not enough contrast between the green corn and the dark paths QR codes are usually black and white, providing lots of contrast.

So the paths were tilled and cleared of any weeds, making them darker and the next attempt was a success.

“We were relieved and excited,” Kraay said.

The excitement grew when Guinness World Records officially deemed it the world’s largest QR code this summer.

Open until Oct. 20.

Fritzler Corn Maze — LaSalle, Colo.
Owner Glen Fritzler is a huge Denver Broncos fan, so he decided last fall that he would devote this year’s corn maze to Tim Tebow. But when the NFL star was traded this spring, Fritzler set his sights on Peyton Manning, who joined the Broncos in March.

Courtesy Glen Fritzler

Glen Fritzler of Friztler Corn Maze in LaSalle, Colo., made this year's maze a tribute to Peyton Manning, who joined the Denver Broncos in March.

“I wasn’t a huge fan of Peyton Manning mainly because he wasn’t on our team… but then he became a Bronco,” Fritzler said. “It’s been a very, very popular maze design.”

The 15-acre tribute to Manning features the quarterback saluting towards the sky and the phrase “Got Peyton” over his shoulder.

Open until Oct. 31.

Baggenstos Farm — Sherwood, Ore.
The Baggenstos family tries to base their corn maze theme on a current event, so this election year the choice was a “no-brainer,” they said.

Behold the smiling caricatures of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney carved out of the corn, along with the directive “Vote!”

Courtesy Baggenstos Farm Store

The faces of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney adorn the corn maze at Baggenstos Farm in Sherwood, Ore.

“We want to encourage people to vote, and we wanted something that would stick in their minds as the election approaches this year, so we decided that a humorous take would be the ticket,” said owners Darla and Jacquie Baggenstos.

Visitors can cast a vote for their favorite presidential candidate, and the farm will announce those “election results” on its website on Nov. 1.

Opens Sept. 29.

Reding Farm — Chickasha, Okla.
Coming in at 35 acres, owners Jerry and Nancy Reding bill the attraction as the largest maze in Oklahoma. This year’s theme is a love letter to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the request of the couple’s daughter.

Courtesy Pat Brooks/First National Bank

The corn maze at Reding Farm in Chickasha, Okla., is dedicated to the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team.

The family obtained permission from the team to use its logo and went on to carve out a basketball extravaganza, complete with a player shooting hoops and team mascot Rumble the Bison.

“We do not know if any of the team will attend but we would welcome them with open arms and they would know how much we love the Thunder,” said Nancy Reding.

It should be noted that this maze is actually created out of sorghum, a cereal crop similar to corn that’s drought resistant.

Open Sept. 28 - Nov. 4.

Corn Dawgs — Loganville, Ga.
Owners Misty Duren and her husband love the Atlanta Braves, so they wanted to honor Chipper Jones — the team’s long-time third baseman who is planning to retire after the 2012 season.

Courtesy Corn Dawgs

The Corn Dawgs maze in Loganville, Ga., is dedicated to Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones.

The maze features a likeness of Jones as well has his number 10. Fans can enjoy four miles of trails and trivia about the baseball star.

“We hope that he comes out to Corn Dawgs and maybe he can get lost in the maze,” Duren said.

Open Sept. 23 - Nov. 4.

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Innkeepers share their best-kept secrets

September 21, 2012 admin No comments

Courtesy of BedandBreakfast.com

In Key West, The Mermaid Alligator's Garden Room has French doors that open to the garden. Owners of BBs such as this one are the inspiration behind a new series of Innkeeper's Guides to popular destinations around the country.

Jesse LeBlanc, owner of The Green House Inn, a BB in New Orleans, encourages guests to stroll over to Coliseum Square, a nearby park lined with stately antebellum houses, and to sit on benches, enjoy the beautiful surroundings and mingle with neighbors.

“Before you know it, you are having coffee and tea with people you never met before,” he said.

Courtesy of BedandBreakfast.com

The Green House Inn in New Orleans has a salt-water pool that's open 24/7. Owner Jesse LeBlanc likes to tell guests about his favorite spots in New Orleans.

LeBlanc also strongly encourages his guests to avoid dessert when dining out — even at the top restaurants — and instead to jump in a taxi after the main course and head to Sucré, a tiny, “sweet boutique” on Magazine Street that serves exquisite homemade candies, pastries and gelato. “The place is phenomenal,” he said. “We know all the little places.”

The insider tips and advice that LeBlanc and his fellow innkeepers routinely dispense are frequently not in guide books, they say, and that’s precisely the inspiration behind a new series of Innkeeper’s Guides to popular destinations around the country.

“It is a way for us to help travelers learn about a community by offering a more intimate glimpse into an area,” said Tim Wilson, a spokesman for BedandBreakfast.com, which publishes the online guides.

The series draws on the expertise of innkeepers who “highlight things that do not get a lot of publicity, like off-the-beaten path places and best kept secrets,” Wilson said.

And the results, he said, are authentic and distinctive local experiences for travelers.

“An Innkeeper’s Guide to Key West,” for example, has Captain Steve of Atlantis House talking about bringing guests to Boca Grande, an outlying island about 12 miles west of Key West, Fla. “Half of the island is a bird sanctuary and the other half is a deserted beach,” the captain noted. “We pull the boat up on a sand bar and spend the day snorkeling, picnicking and taking a casual stroll along the beach observing wildlife.”

So far, five guides, including the one to Key West, have been completed. Other destinations are: Cape Cod, Mass.; Cape May, N.J.; Savannah, Ga.; and New Orleans. Each guide has a brief introduction to the area, followed by: top things to do, best nightlife, top day trips, where to eat and where to shop.

A guide to Asheville, N.C., is scheduled for release next month.

The series may be new, but it formalizes a process that has always been a part of the BB experience, said Dean Carlson, owner of The Mermaid Alligator in Key West.

Carlson said he and his staff, many of whom have lived in the area for 20 some years, have been to local places repeatedly, not just once or twice, like many reviewers. And they can also offer the most current information on new openings. They dispense advice on everything from where to find the best coffee or little Cuban sandwiches to which snorkeling or sunset boat best suits their guests' needs. And they even help nervous young men find the ideal restaurant in which to propose. “The next morning, we’ll ask ‘How did it go? Did she say yes?’ So all of a sudden, you are part of the special occasion,” Carlson said. “Those kinds of things you can’t find in a guidebook, quirky things about a location. And we do it every day.”

Jonathon Day, an assistant professor at Purdue University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said: “I think travelers love to have the inside scoop on places they visit, and reaching out to people in the community about their favorite places is one of the best ways to do that.”

“No one wants to miss the best things about places they visit, so this is a great way to get that insider’s view,” Day said. “I love anything that gets you to the heart of the destination experience.”

Guide readers can also use BedandBreakfast.com to find and book a place among more than 13,000 properties worldwide, read reviews and check out savings promotions.

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5 easy fall weekend getaways

September 21, 2012 admin No comments

Travel + Leisure's Nilou Motamed says that if you're looking for a fun fall weekend getaway, you should head to Falls Village, Conn., the beach in Boca Raton, Fla., or the mountains in Colorado.

We’ve found five easy big-city escapes, whether your perfect fall weekend involves hiking among changing foliage colors or joining in the wine harvest.

Easy getaway from NYC and Boston: Litchfield County, Conn.

Stay: The Falls Village Inn

You can really get off the grid here: cell phone reception is almost non-existent. Recently redesigned, the four guestrooms and suites have botanical prints, crisp linen upholstery, and bathrooms with black-and-white tiles. The dining room showcases the work of local artists and the casual table coverings are brown butcher paper. Food is sourced locally, including hamburgers made from the grass-fed beef of nearby Whippoorwill Farm. Walk it off on the Appalachian Trail, which is right outside the door. Doubles from $199/night.

Easy getaway from San Francisco: California wine country

Stay: Auberge on the Vineyard, Sonoma

The crush season is going on now, so reserve your spot at this historic seven-guestroom inn to be there just as the grapes are being harvested — and to participate in an on-site workshop on pruning, blending and barrel tasting. Take in views of the Alexander Valley vineyards from the inn’s expansive verandah and enjoy a three-course breakfast, served at 9 a.m. each day, with fresh fruit and hot entrees such as quiche Lorraine or pain perdu. Doubles from $165/night (September and October).

Easy getaway from Denver: Rocky Mountains

Stay: Hotel Aspen, Colo.

See the trees turn bright yellow at this newly remodeled hotel right on Main Street in downtown. With 45 guestrooms, Hotel Aspen has plenty of perks including a heated outdoor pool, a firepit, free WiFi, free airport transportation and complimentary breakfast each day — including made-to-order buttermilk waffles and applewood smoked bacon. Time your visit to the first week of October to catch the Aspen Film Festival. Doubles from $179/night.

Easy getaway from Miami: Florida Beach

Stay: Boca Raton Resort Club

Fall is the time for great values in Florida — before the prime winter season begins. And the room to book is at this full-service resort, complete with seven pools, 30 tennis courts, plus the Palazzo Spa with 44 private treatment rooms. A shuttle leaves every 15 minutes for the half-mile stretch of private beach nearby, where you can participate in family activities such as sand castle building contests, kite flying on the beach, beach volleyball and ocean inner tube races. Doubles from $199/night (Oct. 1 – Dec. 19).

Easy getaway from D.C. and Philadelphia: Chesapeake Bay

Stay: Tides Inn, Va.

Embrace the outdoors: Explore the surrounding tributaries in one of the resort’s kayaks, partake in a leisurely game of croquet or check out the 18-hole golf course and marina. You can also learn oyster roasting with resort’s executive chef or take a mixology class where you’ll pick your own herbs for some of the cocktails, and end the day with s’mores on the terrace or at the beach. The “Wild About Virginia Wine” package includes a picnic lunch and a map for a self-guiding bike tour of four nearby wineries. Doubles from $240/night (based on a two-night stay through Oct. 31).

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