You want this. New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel

New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel is the newest variant on the brewery's popular Dragon's Milk Imperial Stout.

Backstory for those that aren't familiar – New Holland has created an interesting in-house cycle for for this year-round barrel-aged stout. New Holland also creates their own whiskey in house. The whiskey leaves the barrel, Dragon's Milk goes in, ages, and is blended. In some instances, bourbon is aged in the barrels that had the imperial stout, creating New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon.

Throw some of that idea out. New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel is coming in October.

“The barrels chosen are ones that retained more-than-usual barrel character and carry that forward into the beer. This variation is a special treat for bourbon lovers and those looking for a more flavor in their beer.” – Brett VanderKamp, New Holland President

This edition finds the imperial stout aged in rum barrels, with coconut. Think of it like the “Dragon” took a tropical vacation.

Taste. 

Let's just say holy sh!t this is good. Coconut, rum and chocolate are the key players here. But really though, it's all about the coconut. There are so many “whales” running around out there that have coconut that beer nerds will fight over. This coconut rum spin on Dragon's Milk is hitting your shelves now. Don't pass it up because it's not rare enough. We're talking rum barrel aged coconut imperial stout here. Drink this beer. You'll be glad you did.

New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel is hitting shelves now, in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coconut. Barrel Aged. Rum.)

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.

Debut: November, 2016

11% ABV

The post You want this. New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve Coconut Rum Barrel appeared first on Beer Street Journal.

Throwback Tuesday: A look Inside Carroll Shelby's Then-New Shop

Carroll Shelby needed a facility in 1962 to construct his Cobras, just as the feds were closing in on Lance Reventlow and his racecar operation at 1042 Princeton Drive, in Venice, California. Reventlow exited and Shelby entered, without so much as an employee change with Reventlow mastermind, Phil Remington, sticking around to help Shelby ramp up production of his Cobras, develop the Shelby Mustang, and give Ford a hand in developing Ferrari-beating GT-40s. Even Reventlow's Fiat car hauler was part of the deal. These shots from a week after New Years 1965, show plenty of Shelby Mustang action as stock fastbacks were being converted and then tested as 306hp GT 350s and 350Rs.

 

The post Throwback Tuesday: A look Inside Carroll Shelby's Then-New Shop appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Travel Style: Jeffrey Sirota

Jeffrey Sirota

Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Name: Jeffrey Sirota

Occupation: Vice President, Worldwide Sales & Americas Region for Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Hometown: Monroe, Connecticut

Residence: Manhattan, NY

College: University of San Diego

College major: Business with Psychology and French Minors

Website: slh.com

Twitter: @SLHLuxuryHotels

Facebook: Jeff Sirota

Instagram: smallluxuryhotels

YouTube: Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Short bio: Jeff Sirota is Vice President, Worldwide Sales & Americas Region for Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Having spent nearly seven years working his way up through various sales roles within the company, Jeff now oversees the global sales team and strategy for Small Luxury Hotels of the World. In addition, he is the Americas Regional Vice President, heading up the New York office for SLH. Prior to Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Jeff worked on property at a boutique hotel in Los Angeles in sales and events. Additionally, he spent several years as a luxury travel agent with a top producing Virtuoso agency in LA.

How often do you fly? 2x/month or more. Over 100k this year.

How many countries have you been to? 25-ish.

How many continents have you been to? Just missing Africa and Antarctica!

Earliest travel memory: Lots of Delta wide-body flights down to Florida from LGA back in the day.

Favorite American city: My home: NYC!

Favorite international city: I feel as though Sydney is pretty near perfect.

Least favorite country: I have found something worth appreciating in each I have been to.

I have no desire to go to: Syria is up there right now.

Friendliest people in the world: Brazilians!

Country with the meanest immigration officers: Probably USA!

Favorite World Heritage Site: Several of our SLH hotels are exclusively in UNESCO sites and they're absolutely breathtaking. You can find them here.

Favorite airline: Airline of choice? United. Favorite: Lufthansa.

Favorite aircraft type: A380: She's a beast, but love all that space! 747 will always be the most elegant.

Aisle or window: Aisle during the day, window for overnight flights. Love new business/first class configurations where you get a window AND an aisle in the same seat: perfection!

Favorite airport lounge: Lufthansa First Class in FRA.

Favorite U.S. airport: Denver.

Favorite international airport: Hong Kong.

Favorite hotel: Any SLH property-we have 520 in 80 countries!

Favorite cruise line: Just went on Regent: amazing.

Favorite travel credit card: United Mileage Plus Select (can't get it anymore!).

Favorite island: Mallorca: beautiful Mediterranean beaches mixed with fantastic Spanish culture and food.

Favorite beach: Ipanema.

Favorite National Park: Glacier National Park in Alaska.

Favorite fancy restaurant: I'm so spoiled living in NYC…Le Bernardin is up there.

Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Hill Country Chicken in NYC.

Favorite bar: Boom boom Room at The Standard Highline, NYC: Views of all Manhattan (even in the bathroom), craft cocktails, and retro chic.

Favorite fruit: Mango.

Favorite food: Chocolate.

Least favorite food: Sardines.

Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): Champagne.

Favorite travel movie(s): Airplane!

Right now I am reading: The questions on this survey.

Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: Conde Nast Traveler.

Favorite travel website(s)-besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! FlyerTalk.

5 things you bring on a plane: Magazines, headphones, big bottle of water, protein bars, hand cream.

What do you always seem to forget? Headphones…I leave them everywhere!

What do you like least about travel? Economy class.

What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Nothing. Buy me something unique from the location instead.

Favorite travel app(s): United app because I use it all the time (upgrade list!!), Flight Track, iTrans NYC.

Most embarrassing travel moment: I'll tell you my second most embarrassing one ;) the day United/Continental merged their systems, there were issues with the app, etc (which I didn't realize). I was connecting through IAH and waiting for my delayed flight in the United Club. Gate was right across from the club. I kept checking on the app to see where the plane was coming from and it kept on saying it was delayed and hadn't left, yet my flight departure time had been moved to a specific time. I kept seeing that the plane hadn't left its origin on the app, so I chose to ignore departure time and the monitors…finally, as it was departure time I thought I'd look at the board: the flight was gone! I ran across to the gate to see the plane pulling back! Oops. I ended up running across the huge airport bags in hand to catch a later one and just barely made it (but my upgrade cleared!!).

I'm embarrassed I haven't been to: Greece!

Worst travel moment: I was 13, headed to see family in New Orleans. My dad and I both had morning flights from LGA, so I went along with him. His business flight left, mine was delayed. Ended up being put on a new connecting flight, then told original flight was going. Got on original flight, delayed again. Put on a new flight, then told non-stop was going so I went back to it, they cancelled it. After back and forth on four different flights, finally left and connected through DCA. Took me 12 hours to get to New Orleans: best part was my dad had gotten me into the US Air Club and they took great care of me…I think that was the official start of me being an independent traveler…a little traumatic for a young teenager, though.

What's your dream destination? It's secluded and includes an overwater bungalow.

Favorite travel charity: My MileagePlus account.

Best travel tip: Be proactive and fend for yourself, because nobody else will do it for you (especially in airports)!!

The post Travel Style: Jeffrey Sirota appeared first on Johnny Jet.

Audi Finally Renames its Sporting Division, Promises Eight New Performance Models

While the general populace will likely remain confused, automotive enthusiasts will now be able to differentiate between Audi's all-wheel-drive system and its performance sports car subsidiary. The company has officially taken its Quattro GmbH division and renamed it Audi Sport GmbH. Quattro (which means four) will now only refer to the all-wheel drive system and Sport (which […]

The post Audi Finally Renames its Sporting Division, Promises Eight New Performance Models appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

Porn site xHamster launches their own beer. How you pair it is up to you.

One of the world's largest porn websites, xHamster now has something else to offer their fans. xHamster Beer.

At first we thought it was a joke. Upon investigation (beer investigating, not porn), the Cyprus-based site has gotten into commercial brewing. The beer is a nearly 9% alcohol by volume Belgian-style tripel. Even before your mind wanders, no there aren't any weird additions to the beer like lube, and it wasn't aged on sex toys either.

xHamster Beer is brewed with two hop varieties, and five different malts, plus organic honey. Brewed for the fans of a special kind of “nature documentary.” Touted as the world's first “porn beer.”

Five different malt varieties, two hop varieties, organic honey, and the finest spices and yeast flow into the beer. Very full-bodied, slightly sweet and yet spicy, this beer will fill your mouth and guarantee your satisfaction.

Right now the beer is only available in Europe but there are plans to to bring it stateside. Perhaps it's the perfect gift for that special porn and beer lover in your life.

Style: Belgian Tripel (Honey.)

 

The post Porn site xHamster launches their own beer. How you pair it is up to you. appeared first on Beer Street Journal.

Next-generation Ford Fiesta Debuts, But Doesn't Tell All

The next-generation Ford Fiesta had its coming out party at a corporate event in Cologne, Germany today, and there's no mistaking the updated B-segment runabout. Ford clearly wasn't willing to mess with the exterior too much, but changes abound on the 2018 model year Fiesta. That includes an industry-first advancement made to its available three-cylinder […]

The post Next-generation Ford Fiesta Debuts, But Doesn't Tell All appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

Say What?! This Scat Pack Beats Hellcats, Power To Spare!

We love the history of Mopar performance around here and we respect it. We respect the fact that in the mid 1960s you could drive off a dealer lot with a snotty, angry, snarling beast of a street car that would do burnouts for blocks and mix it up with the other machinery of the day at the strip. Those days were magic and they will forever be lionized in the hearts and minds of muscle car enthusiasts everywhere. One thing we cannot get on board with is calling those the “good old days,” because frankly, we're living in the “good old days” and the 2016 Challenger Scat Pack of Illinois resident Jim Hayes is proof positive of that.

Largely stock aside from the addition of a Kenne Bell supercharger package, this thing runs middle 10s and kills Hellcats, classic muscle cars, and virtually everything else that rolls up next to it. Oh, and unlike the muscle car guys of yesteryear, he is not constantly running the valves, boiling the car over on a warm day, or stuck to a sweaty vinyl bench seat in the summer. Nope, he's rocking factory parts from front to back including the air conditioning in this Plum Crazy killer and that's what really caught our eye when we saw him competing at the Hellcat and Scat Pack Shootout during the Monster Musclecar Weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park outside of St Louis.

We'll get to the real meat of this 10-second late-model stormer in a minute, but one of the things that really stands out about this car is just how much of it is stock, as delivered from the factory, and yet still standing up to the abuse and massive 730-plus wheel horsepower the car has. The transmission? Stock. Rear end? Stock, driveshaft? Stock. Suspension? Totally stock. Yes, there are drag radials on the back but let's be honest, that is an even greater testament to the driveline strength of these cars. Late-model muscle cars of other persuasions would be spitting out parts like Tic-Tacs when trying to do what Jim is doing with this Scat Pack Challenger. The Challenger has not been lightened up at all and likely comes across the scales a little heavier than stock with the blower and its components installed, but it is also making hundreds more horsepower than FCA planned to have it. Tipping the scales at just over two tons before the blower, this car with its full interior and amenities is a luxury rocket.

But there's always that one burning question: Why? Why build this car, this way? “I love all cars, but there's just something about these late-model performance cars that just blows me away,” Jim said with a laugh. “These things take me back to the days when we were running at our local drag strip as kids making 400 hp and thinking we were the kings of the world. These cars today have huge horsepower along with reliability. You can hop in this thing and drive it across the country without a worry. I drove the car 200 miles from my house to the race at St. Louis, raced it, and drove home getting a total combined average of 20.6 mpg.”

Jim is no stranger to the fun of late-model performance cars or the magic of a Kenne Bell blower. He has a 2010 Mr. Norm's car that is also boosted in the same manner. When the time came to scratch his performance itch again, Jim was thinking Hellcat all the way but his wife was not. “My wife was opposed to the Hellcat because she figured the insurance would be higher along with virtually everything else,” Jim explained. “I thought that buying a Scat Pack and adding to it would be fine, so that is what I did. I saved a ton of money all around and my wife got a new Dart as well. The insurance is cheaper, I ended up with a bigger motor, a bigger blower, and more power anyway.”

Jim's itch to get one of his cars back onto the strip was kicked into overdrive when he found out about the shootouts: “I had been following along with the Hellcat and Scat Pack races and thought that when we were ready with the car we should bring it out. The winning elapsed times seemed achievable and with the combo we were working on we thought that we would have a legitimate shot at winning.” The “we” that Jim mentions includes Tim Barth of the Midwest Performance Center in Rock City, Illinois. He's the talented wrench behind making this Scat Pack a Hellcat's worst nightmare.

The engine in the car from the cylinder heads down is 100-percent absolutely stock. As we all know, the Apache cylinder heads that these 6.4L engines wear are some of the best to ever get bolted onto a factory short-block in Chrysler's history, so if they work that good naturally aspirated, you darn sure know they will really gulp if you help them breathe a little.

The breathing “help” that Tim Barth decided to use happens to be a healthy Kenne Bell liquid cooled supercharger. If you are going to add a blower there are other concerns that need to be addressed, and those are primarily on the fuel, ignition, and exhaust sides. Stainless Works 1 7/8-inch long-tube headers were installed to get the gasses out of the engine.

Handling the fuel system upgrades was Midwest Performance Center. Using a Fore Innovations triple pump in-tank unit to supply the volume of fuel that the engine needs under boost, a Snow Stage 3 water/methanol injection system to keep detonation from hurting the engine, and other fuel system enhancements to handle the increased demands, this engine is making crazy power, Hellcat-dominating power-on bone-stock internals.

As you might expect, when the car is in race tune mode with more boost, the fuel it is happiest on is E85. During normal driving, Jim is able to fill the tank with 93 octane and cruise the town.

It should also be noted that this is not an engine that is being run on the ragged edge. Consider when the 10.50/131mph run was made at the Scat Pack Shootout, there was only 8.6 psi of boost being put to work. It took a pass or two in order for Barth to get the car happy coming off the line to achieve those numbers, but they did it and in the weeks following the event, they achieved an elapsed time of 10.32/132 mph after more tuning and tweaking.

Turbos are fantastic for making power, but for a guy like Jim who was already in love with a previous supercharged modern Mopar, he knew what he wanted. The Kenne Bell blower used on this car is an interesting piece. It is a twin-screw style that uses a liquid cooling system to manage the heat that is inherent in the supercharging process. When you compress anything you get heat, and that includes air. This is also a big benefit for all the moving parts inside the blower to keep them cool, lubricated, and happy. This particular application also uses the Kenne Bell Mammoth rear inlet manifold. This high-flowing piece allows the air to more efficiently make it into the blower, which in turn makes the whole system more efficient. Finally, the blower is equipped with a bypass valve that bleeds off boost during low-rpm, part-throttle situations like cruising down the highway. This allows the supercharger to be more efficient and reduce any parasitic drag on the engine trying to turn it. By using the bypass valve, the supercharger is effectively returning air back to the inlet. The end result is you have a car that is really nice to drive and then REALLY fun to drive when you land on the loud pedal.

The bottom line is that in today's world of muscle cars, a guy like Jim can have a Scat Pack Challenger with a 100-percent stock engine making nearly 900 hp at the flywheel and well over 700 hp at the tires. Yes, it requires the knowledge of a tuner to help it all live happily together, but the point is that it can be done, enjoyed, and counted on to get you around town. That's a mind boggling thing for anyone who lived through the dark ages of performance in the 1970s when it looked like 300hp engines would be a stretch, let alone monsters like this one.

Jim Hayes absolutely loves his car and he should. It has rekindled emotions he has not had since he was a young buck. It has garnered awards at shows like the prestigious Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals, it runs 10s, and it is cheaper to insure than a stock Hellcat. This thing is Plum Crazy and the man is enjoying every second of it.

This Plum Crazy colored 2016 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack looks stock, and frankly, it mostly is but it doesn't run like it. The Kenne-Bell liquid-cooled supercharger makes sure of it. Owner Jim Hayes rips off 10s.

Here's the heart of the beast, a thumping Kenne Bell supercharged 6.4L blown Hemi that makes huge power and does so reliably. The blend of robust factory parts and some well-placed modifications have turned this Scat Pack into a Hellcat hunter.

The Kenne-Bell blower with its Mammoth series air intake is a well packaged horsepower making wonder. The twin-screw design keeps things compact and under the stock hood. We dig the support on the blower snout-it looks beefy!

People may moan about the “good old days” of muscle cars being over, but owner Jim Hayes disagrees. An otherwise stock modern muscle car with a blower that can wax virtually anything that rolls up next to it with the AC on? What's that about the “good old days” again?

Anybody with a 392 Hemi can bolt on a Kenne Bell 2.8L supercharger kit and get similar results to Jim Hayes, although Hayes did convert to E85 and add Snow's water-meth injection kit to further extend the capability of the stock 6.4L Hemi bottom end.

Outwardly the only deviation from the stock appearance is the presence of drag radials in the rear. Mounted on the factory wheels, unsuspecting victims may glance right past that part of the equation. This car needs the grip that those tires provide.

Want to see just how awesome the power curve is for this car? Here's the dyno sheet to prove it was still making power like a freight train when the dyno rip ended. With some more rpm there's more power potential to unlock. Long live the Gen III Hemi!

FAST FACTS

2016 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack

Jim Hayes; Machesney Park, Il

ENGINE

Type: 392ci Gen III “Apache” Chrysler Hemi

Bore x stroke: 4.09(bore) x 3.724(stroke), 392 ci

Compression ratio: 10.9:1

Block: stock

Rotating assembly: stock

Cylinder heads: stock “Apache” cast A319 alloy aluminum

Camshaft: stock

Valvetrain: stock

Induction: Kenne-Bell 2.8L liquid-cooled twin-screw supercharger

Fuel system: Fore Innovations fuel system with three pumps

Exhaust: Stainless Works 1 7/8-inch diameter long-tube headers

Ignition: stock

Oiling system: stock

Cooling: stock

Fuel: gasoline

Output: 733.74 hp to the wheels and 673.75 lb-ft of torque

Engine built by: FCA of America

DRIVETRAIN

Transmission: stock 8-speed TorqueFlite 8HP70 automatic overdrive transmission

Driveshaft: stock as delivered by Chrysler

Rearend: stock and unaltered, 3.09:1 limited-slip

CHASSIS

Front suspension: stock, independent SLA, with high upper A-arm

Rear suspension: stock, five-link IRS in isolated suspension cradle

Steering: factory stock, electric power steering

Brakes: stock Brembo, 14.2-inch rotors with 4-piston calipers (front);

13.8-inch rotors with 4-piston calipers (rear)

Chassis: stock, unit-body construction

PAINT & INTERIOR

Color: factory applied Plumb Crazy purple

Painter: FCA of America

Interior: stock

WHEELS & TIRES

Wheels: stock 2015 Challenger Scat Pack 20 x 8 wheels

Tires: stock 245/45R20 Goodyear (front), Mickey Thompson 275/40R20

SS Drag Radials (rear)

The post Say What?! This Scat Pack Beats Hellcats, Power To Spare! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Video: Big Plane vs Little Plane (the Economics of Long-Haul Flights)

Well, Wendover Productions is back at it, this time with “Big Plane vs Little Plane” and the economics of long-haul flights. As they describe it in the video, “Airbus made an enormous plane, Boeing made an efficient plane. They both had different ideas on how the airline industry would work in the future, and only one was right.”

The post Video: Big Plane vs Little Plane (the Economics of Long-Haul Flights) appeared first on Johnny Jet.

Travel Webcam of the Week: Cologne Christmas Market

Like this feature? Check out past Travel Webcam of the Week posts and Travel Instagrammer of the Week posts!

Cologne Christmas Market (cologne.de/cathedral-christmas-market-watch-it-live-on-webcam.html)

One of my favorite trips I made with my wife was taking a European river cruise in early December so we could visit multiple Christmas markets in four different countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary). It's an amazing experience and obviously best experienced in person. However, thanks to this webcam, you can view the city of Cologne, Germany's Christmas market, which takes place outside of the world-famous Cologne Cathedral.

Screenshot from cologne.de/cathedral-christmas-market-watch-it-live-on-webcam.html

The post Travel Webcam of the Week: Cologne Christmas Market appeared first on Johnny Jet.

The Most Amazing 1970 Chevelle SS396 Barn Find Ever is Headed to the Russo and Steele Auction

The 1970 Chevelle SS396 “Barn Find” that donned the cover of the November 2016 issue of Car Craft magazine is scheduled to roll across the auction block at Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, January 18-22, 2017.

This 1970 Chevelle SS396 was found parked in a storage lot in Fresno, California in January 2016. It was parked there in 1983 and never moved. The registered owner during the 30-plus years of hibernation had no intention of ever selling the car and had plans of restoring it someday. Those plans changed in 2015 and it was put up for sale on a single social media site in a private group setting showing only four pictures.

The original option list to this car's drivetrain is equally remarkable. It was ordered with the RPO (Regular Production Option) Z25 SS396 package with the 375hp RPO L78 engine option upgrade. The manual transmission was also upgraded to the optional RPO M21 and the rear axle received the RPO G80 Positraction option coupled with the RPO ZQ9 4.10:1 performance ratio upgrade.

This car also represents the end of an era for Chevrolet intermediates. In 1970 General Motors finally decided to lift its corporate ban on engines larger than 400 cubic inches in an intermediate sized car. In October 1969, Chevrolet Motor Division prepared a memorandum to notify Chevrolet dealerships that RPO L78 SS396 engine option was being discontinued in the Chevelle, and therefore instructed dealers to offer RPO LS6 SS454 option as its replacement.

Only 2,144 1970 SS396 Chevelles were equipped with the RPO L78 engine option and very few are in existence today. This car was assembled the second week of November 1969 at the Van Nuys, California assembly plant. It also retains its original build sheet that was retrieved from the top of the gas tank in February 2016. This car is 1 of only 30 1970 SS396 L78 Chevelles that are registered in Dale Macintosh's International Chevelle L78 Registry (www.chevelleregistry.macswebs.com), which requires the existence of sufficient documentation in order to be registered. See it in person at the Russo and Steele auction in January.

The post The Most Amazing 1970 Chevelle SS396 Barn Find Ever is Headed to the Russo and Steele Auction appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Upland Brewing Teddy Bear Kisses returns this winter

Upland Brewing Teddy Bear Kisses, a Russian Imperial Stout aged on fair trade cacao nibs, returns this winter. Clocking in at 10%, this high ABV winter seasonal is oak aged on cocoa nibs for four weeks, giving it a slightly sweet and bold chocolate flavor with dark caramel and vanilla notes.

“Teddy Bear Kisses is aged for four weeks on cacao nibs to provide an intense chocolate flavor and aroma, like sipping on cup of hot cocoa. A roasty bitterness balanced by moderate sweetness provides incredible drinkability for this style.” -Matt Wisely, Innovation Lead

This seasonal release, Teddy Bear Kisses, hits shelves starting this week in 4-packs and draft within Upland Brewing distribution.

Style: Russian Imperial Stout (Oak Aged. Chocolate.)

Availability: 12oz Bottles. Draft.

Release: December 2016

10% ABV

The post Upland Brewing Teddy Bear Kisses returns this winter appeared first on Beer Street Journal.

12 Tips for Saving Money Over the Holidays

The holidays are just around the corner and many people are starting to scramble to get their shopping done … and that includes buying plane tickets (these 10 tips should help!) Between the gifts and the travel, whether you're heading home or making your escape to a great destination this holiday season, things tend to add up. If you need help to keep costs low and stay on budget, you've come to the right place. Here are 12 tips for saving money this holiday season.

1. Don't Pay More Than You Should

If you are traveling out of the country, make sure your credit card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees … unless you don't mind paying 3% more on everything you purchase. Not sure whether your credit card charges foreign transaction fees? Make a quick call to your provider to find out. Or, you can get the Barclaycard Arrival card since it not only has no foreign transaction fees but it has a chip with pin capability, which is a huge help for international travelers.

2. Pay in Local Currency

It's a dirty little trick vendors play around the world to make more money from you when you shop. When a sales clerk swipes or inserts your credit card, the machine will ask if you want to pay in U.S. dollars or the local currency. Paying in U.S. dollars would seem to be the more convenient option, but in reality, it's not. In fact, it's a total rip-off, since the retailer will charge a higher exchange fee than your bank back home does. So always pay in the local currency of the country you're in.

3. Avoid ATM Fees

Whether you're traveling halfway around the world or just to the other side of town, check with your bank to see if they have domestic and international partners. That way, if you can't find your bank, you might be able to find one of their partners so you can save on the ATM withdrawal fees. Fees are usually $5 per transaction! Here's Bank of America's list of partners.

4. Get Bank Alerts

Pretty much every bank and credit card company allows you to get a notification by text or email as soon as any transaction is made. If any fraudulent activity has taken place, you can stop the damage immediately. Be sure to have your bank's telephone numbers preprogrammed into your phone so you can take action quickly if you lose a credit card.

5. Go Where the Dollar is Strong

If you want to get away to either do some holiday shopping or to escape the cold, then go to places where your dollar will stretch and not shrink. For example, US travelers should consider Canada for this reason. Not only is it geographically close, but $1.00 USD currently equals $1.35 CAD. Other money-saving places are: Brazil (1 US = 3.41 BRL), Japan (1 US = 113 JPY), Mexico (1 USD =20.65 MXN)  South Africa (1 USD = 14.11 ZAR), and any country using the Euro (1 USD = 0.94 EUR). All are far less expensive than they have been in the past five years, thanks to the strength of the US dollar.

6. Go Where it's Cheap

Although some of the places I mentioned above are a lot cheaper than they used to be, it doesn't mean that your entire trip will be cheap. If you want to go somewhere inexpensive, then I highly recommend southeast Asia. Not only are the airfares the lowest they've ever been but you can stay in luxury accommodations, eat fantastic meals and get around cheaply.

7. Be Flexible

Without a doubt, the key to finding cheap holiday flights is to be flexible. It's not that difficult to figure out that the most expensive time to fly is when everyone else is, too. If you can leave a day or two earlier and/or later, you can save some serious money.

8. Ship Your Bags

Chances are you will be checking bags – especially if you're traveling with gifts. If that's the case, stay away from the low-cost carriers because even though their fares seem to be the cheapest, it will end up costing you much more if you're checking bags. Some airlines charge up to $100 just for one carry-on so do your research in advance. One airline that gives you two checked bags for free is Southwest Airlines. Flying them could save you at least $120 on a roundtrip ticket. If you don't want to deal with checking bags (it can not only be expensive but a nuisance, since bags get lost and delayed often), consider shipping them via Ground if traveling domestically and if you can wait 5 days or more. This can save you time, money and aggravation.

9. Wrap Your Gifts at Your Destination

The TSA allows wrapped gifts but if there's something in the gift that needs to be inspected, they may open it and they don't always do it gently. Rather than spending time wrapping your gifts before your flight, just do it at your destination.

10. Save on Hotels

If you book a hotel in advance, then be sure to recheck the price of your stay about three or four days before you check in. Often, hotels that don't fill up lower their prices to entice potential guests. As long as you have a refundable reservation, and you booked directly through the hotel, you can reserve another room at the lower price and cancel the original reservation. It's also a good idea to clear your computer's cookies or use a different browser so your search history isn't remembered.

11. Research Scams Ahead of Time

I've been scammed abroad before and it could have been avoided if I'd only read a website or two. There was the time my two buddies and I got taken in Budapest by a couple of “college girls” who wanted to go out drinking. If we had read the US State Department's page on Hungary, it never would have happened; not only was the scam listed, but the bars that were taking part in the scam were as well. In addition to reading the U.S. State Department advice, I also recommend studying similar pages on Australia's, Canada's and the United Kingdom's sites. They all provide helpful information to their citizens that sometimes differs from what we get in the US. The links above direct to each site's page for France since it's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

12. Stay Connected for Cheap

If you're traveling out of the country, then be sure to find out in advance what the roaming charges are. I use T-Mobile because I travel internationally a lot and they give users free international data and text messaging in over 115 countries-plus all calls in those countries for just 20 cents a minute. It doesn't work great domestically but overseas, it's amazing.

If you don't have a good cellular plan or are going on a cruise, then set your phone to airplane mode and just use WiFi to avoid coming home to an astronomical bill. Some travelers go to McDonald's or Starbucks because they provide free WiFi.

Bonus Tip: Pay for Your Travel with Barclaycard

Since it's almost impossible to use your airline frequent flier miles during the holidays unless you are really flexible with dates or are willing to use double or triple the usual amount, then pay for your trip using credit card points. Credit cards like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard allow you to redeem your miles for travel statement credits starting at 10,000 miles for $100 toward all or a portion of your travel purchase of $100 or more made within the past 120 days. On top of that, for a limited time, you will earn over $500 in travel, 2x points per $1 spent, and a 5% rebate on all point redemptions. Learn more about it here

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

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The post 12 Tips for Saving Money Over the Holidays appeared first on Johnny Jet.

Why New U.S. Model Years Come Out Ridiculously Early

Have you ever wondered why the model year and actual calendar year of production vehicles rarely coincide? Do you ever notice American-made cars have a tendency to come out almost comically early? Have you ever wondered why? The answer is as uniquely American as the question itself, revolving around agriculture, consumer culture, and television. Like daylight saving time, […]

The post Why New U.S. Model Years Come Out Ridiculously Early appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

All I Want for Christmas is this 6×6 Jeep Rubicon!

It isn't going to fit under the Christmas tree. But if you have an extra $375,000 to buy this beast, you likely have a great garage to put it in. This thing is a 2017 Jeep Rubicon that has been stretched for a 6-foot truck bed and an extra axle in the rear, and plumbed with a 6.4L Hemi. It's a creation of Matt Hunt, owner of MHMC near Huntington Beach, California. He's responsible for the Affliction Chevelle and a host of lifted, sparkly, Jeeps and trucks that fit the Orange County lifestyle of wretched excess.

This one is called the Poison Tree Frog, were guessing because of the paint. Kawasaki hues aside, the engineering work allows for a new Hemi to be mated to a Mercedes Benz five-speed automatic. There are two driveshafts. The first one runs to a CV joint on a Ford 9-inch, and a second connects a rear facing CV joint to the factory Dana, for a functioning 6×6 wheel drive.

Matt blew the entire Jeep apart, cut and extended the frame by a mile, lifted the body and fabricated a functioning pass-through 6-foot bed. It sits on Fuel wheels and 35s.

Incredibly, this is the second 6×6 Jeep Matt has built. The first one went to a company called Wild Bore Off Road in Huntington Beach. This one was built for the Garansindo Group, which owns FCA dealerships in Indonesia. If you need one, a 6×6 Rubicon can be built in six months to order, with a Hellcat engine if you want.

The post All I Want for Christmas is this 6×6 Jeep Rubicon! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

With the Law Onside, a Cord Resurrection Is in the Works

Amelia Earhart owned one, and likely would have seen more sunsets had she chosen it as her ride of choice, instead of a Lockheed Electra. It was one of the great American automobiles of the interwar era, and a favorite of matinee stars - a nameplate steeped in style, class and technological innovation. But, ultimately, […]

The post With the Law Onside, a Cord Resurrection Is in the Works appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

Confusing Times – Hydrogen and Fuel Cell History

“Regulations that shut down hundreds of coal-fired power plants and block the construction of new ones - how stupid is that?” was one of Donald Trump's campaign utterings.

What makes a light bulb glow? - “Hydro makes it glow”, many people will answer.  “We are running out of gas”, laments an environmentally concerned motorist.  Both statements are a 'gas', a casual talk or informal chatter.

We are in such a hurry that we abbreviate much of what we say; twisting the true meaning of 'things'.  For the moment, we have forgotten the origin and the history of what came before.  Has the pace of modern life accelerated so much that we have already lost sight of what we learned in earlier times?

'Gas', (short for gasoline, of course) is a liquid as used in North America.  It is petroleum or petrol in other countries and in the land of Karl Benz, it's Benzin. (Different from Benzene)  Hydrogen (H₂) and Oxygen (O₂) are a true gas separately, but when united with other gasses they are a liquid, - water.  Why is life so confusing?

The light-giving 'hydro' is electricity, generated at hydro dams (meaning “water”, from Greek), at the front of the water-storing reservoirs. Like so many other terms, its meaning has changed over time, already removed from common memory; out of sight – out of mind.  Clearly, electricity is also generated in various ways other than from hydropower.

The 'newest' automotive technology breakthrough, using and regenerating its own electricity onboard in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), is not new at all, and neither are fuel cells.  From the beginning of the twentieth century to the 1920s, electric automobiles counted for approximately one-third of all vehicles, HEVs included.  At that time, the majority of the population favored the non-polluting, almost silent running electric cars, but the favoritism had “batteries not included”.

Electric vehicles as a separate entity are pollution free.  But they receive their electricity during re-charging from electricity-generating stations.  Many of these plants, other than the water-powered ones, are serious polluters, as we all know.

On top of this problem, and despite all the progress made during the last century, electric vehicles (EV) are limited by their short driving range of between 80 and 200 km and the long time needed to recharge their batteries.  This limitation is related to the type of batteries used, the weight and added load of the vehicle and other factors. Cold weather will further limit the useful range of an EV. The heater and defroster needed under these conditions render the old-style lead-acid battery almost useless for half of the year in propelling electric cars, especially in colder climates. These batteries usually need 6-8 hours of recharging, perhaps acceptable for fleet- or commuter vehicles, but certainly not for many other uses.

Paradoxically, the advent of an electric motor – the 'starter' in engine-powered vehicles caused the downfall of the electric cars. Cranking a very 'cranky' engine was no longer necessary, avoiding many broken elbows.

Without a doubt, the battery bears the brunt of the blame for the lack of progress to this day, which could have advanced EVs to the forefront of transportation. What if there was an easier way, a better battery, to power EVs, and to keep laptop computers working longer, to enjoy more music on the move, or to light, heat or cool human surroundings?  Perhaps a lightweight gas battery?

Confusion and uncertainty run rampant. “We are running out of oil to sustain our industries”.  “There is enough 'Black Gold' in the ground for generations to come”. “Nuclear energy is the future”.  “Clean coal will prevail”.  “We have to go electric”.  Solar power, thermal power, wind power, fusion, fission…  “The hydrogen economy is the way of the future” energy experts assert.  “China and India invest in Canadian oil sands to advance and secure their mushrooming economies”, the business papers report. - Confused?

Next: Optimistic times

 

Circle Track to Expand PRI Coverage

Can't make it to the PRI Show in Indianapolis December 8-10?  Is there just too much to see?  Looking for some inside information?  Let us at Circle Track help!

This year Circle Track will be expanding its coverage of the PRI Show massively.  Not only will there be daily stories and videos on circletrack.com, but plenty of information will be available through Circle Track's rapidly growing social media platforms.  Circle Track will have information through its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages throughout each day.

In fact, our coverage of the PRI Show will begin before the doors even open.  Be sure to check out the CT Facebook Page on Wednesday, December 7 at 2 P.M. EST as we meet with organizers from the SoVa Motion Seminars.  We'll get a brief preview of the seminars which will take place Thursday and Friday at 10 A.M. EST.  Just after the show opens Thursday we'll meet live on Facebook with E3 Spark Plugs (10:30 A.M.) to see their new product line.  More live broadcasts are in the works, so be sure to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for more information.

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Circle Track's Social Media outlets can be found here:

Facebook: facebook.com/circletrackmagazine

Twitter: twitter.com/circletrack

Instagram: instagram.com/circle_track_magazine

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For more information on the 2016 PRI Show visit www.performanceracing.com/tradeshow

The post Circle Track to Expand PRI Coverage appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

Black Friday means Goose Island Bourbon County 2016

It's officially Black Friday. That means Goose Island Bourbon County 2016 (and its variants) are hitting shelves. The release has become a bit of a Black Friday drunken tradition.

Honestly, Bourbon County has a bit of a storied history. For years now, it has been one of the most sought after barrel aged imperial stouts in America. Then one day over five years ago now, the beer drinking public woke up to the news of Anheuser-Busch purchasing the brewery.

Honestly, we can recall videos of Goose Island fans pouring Bourbon County Brand Stout down the drain after the news. Still weird even today, considering all those drainpours were BCBS that were brewed pre-buyout, and have a suggested cellar life of up to 5 years. Hey, you deal with your emotions how you want to.

Fast-forward to the Black Friday release the following year. The lines were long. Social media was full of delighted drinkers. See – life DOES go on.

In October, Beer Street Journal got to try this year's release. Let's cut to the chase. It's fantastic. A chewy, chocolatey, bottle of bourbon and molasses that will get you tipsy faster than a Dave Matthews jam solo. A year in bourbon barrels does some magical things to this beer.

Something else I've noticed when the above picture was posted to Instagram a few weeks ago. Commenters were trying to convince us this beer is infected. Sorry to break the hearts of those wanting Goose Island to be swallowed into the pits of hell. It's not. From what we can tell, none of the variants are either. (Yes, four of the six editions had some issues last year.)

For 2016, the brewery has tried out a new “flash” pasteurization process that kills of the microbes (and the yeast) that could hurt your coveted bottle of beer. The term “flash” is key. It's just heated long enough to kill anything bad, and not damage the flavor.

Here is what we aren't going to do. We aren't going to sit here and tell you this beer is terrible when it isn't. We've met some brilliant, hardworking brewers at Goose Island. We report the news, and drink the beers. As many as we can get our hands on. You decide what you like or hate, or will drink or won't, based on ownership, ideals, brewer's politics, philosophy, artwork, favorite color, tv show, etc.

There you have it. Today people are shooting one another over parking spaces, toilet paper deals, and tvs. Others got in line early for some bourbon barrel imperial stout. There is a night of drinking ahead of those folks, and hangover tomorrow.

That's perfect fine with us. Keep drinking.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)

Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.

Debut: 11/25/16

14% ABV

The post Black Friday means Goose Island Bourbon County 2016 appeared first on Beer Street Journal.

10 Ways to Find Cheap Christmas Flights

Thanksgiving is over and procrastinators  across the country are slowly starting to try and figure out how they can find cheap Christmas flights. The bad news is that the airlines are expecting to have full planes over the holidays and most of the cheap fares for peak days and times are already gone. The good news is that I'm here to help you find the most economical way for you to see your family, for them to come see you or for you to get out of Dodge. Here are 10 ways to find cheap Christmas flights:

1. Be flexible

Without a doubt, the key to finding cheap Christmas flights is to be flexible (or any day, for that matter). If you can't be flexible, then you aren't going to get a deal so you can stop reading right now. It's not that difficult to figure out that the most expensive time to fly is when everyone else is, too. For example, Christmas this year is on Sunday, December 25 and I bet you want to leave the Friday (December 23) or Saturday (December 24) and return on the Sunday (January 1) or early morning on the Monday (January 2) after. Am I right?

Well, that's not going to happen and if you ran an airline, you wouldn't discount fares that day either, now would you? To prove my point, I just ran a flexible search on Google Flights (below) for roundtrip non-stop flights from New York's LGA to Miami for a seven-night stay. You can see that leaving on Saturday and returning on Sunday are the most expensive days to fly. The round-trip will cost $691 and that's for a 1pm flight returning on a 6am flight, which no one wants to take. To leave later in the day will cost a lot more.

Solution: Travel a few days earlier on the outbound and return a day later and the price will drop by almost 50%. See screenshot below. If you want to save even more money, push the dates even more.

2. Consider the time of day

Since everyone wants to leave after work or when school gets out, don't enter in a specific time when searching for a flight. Generally, the most expensive times to fly are peak business travel hours (8am to 10am and 5pm to 7pm). Cheaper seats tend to depart early in the morning (5am to 7am), midday (noon) or late in the evening (after 8pm).

Good to know: By leaving early in the morning, you have the best chance of not getting delayed.

3. Alternate airports

Another money-saving trick is to not only be flexible with dates and times, but also with airports, too. For example, rather than flying into (or out of) Miami when going to South Florida, check out Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL), which is 25 miles north and usually much cheaper.

FYI: Almost all major U.S. cities have alternate airports and I created this page show you the actual driving miles.

4. Stay away from the low-cost carriers

When you do a flight search, don't just grab the cheapest fare you see, especially from a low-cost carrier (LCC) because it could end up costing you much more than you think. Allegiant, Spirit, Frontier, Norwegian and WOW are just a few that are notorious for offering ridiculously low fares and then hitting you up for everything from assigned seats, checked baggage and even carry-on luggage. The worst part is that now the legacy airlines like Delta and American don't want to lose out so they're going to offer the same kind of fares. So make sure you read the fine print on your fare before buying-even from the mainline carriers.

5. Choose Southwest Airlines if you're checking bags

Southwest was the original low-cost carrier so it's ironic that they're the only one that doesn't charge for checked bags. They offer the first and second checked bag for free, which most airlines would charge an extra $120 for on a roundtrip ticket. If you're planning on checking bags and don't have elite status or an airline branded credit card where one of the perks is free baggage, then check to see if Southwest Airlines is flying your desired route. Remember: Their fares don't show up in any search engine except their own so you need to log on to Southwest.com.

6. Sign up for fare alerts

If you don't want to constantly have to check airfares manually (as I like to do for some insane reason), then sign up for fare alerts. Many sites offer this free service including Airfarewatchdog.com, Kayak and FareCompare.com.

7. Hold your airfares for free for 24 hours

Many consumers in the US don't realize that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has stated that all US and foreign carriers have to allow consumers the ability “to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty.” See here for the DOT's full rule (PDF). However, if you're booking a ticket with fewer than seven days before you fly, this rule doesn't apply.

Note: American Airlines is the only airline that I'm aware of that allows consumers to hold a reservation without a credit card for 24 hours, making it much easier to cancel. However, since American offers the hold option, if you make a reservation with them, you can't cancel without a fee.

8. Use frequent flier miles or credit card points

It's almost impossible to use your airline frequent flier miles during the holidays unless you are flexible with dates or are willing to use double or triple the usual amount. If you don't want to cut your trip short, then consider getting a credit card like the Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard®. That's because you can redeem your miles for travel statement credits starting at 10,000 miles for $100 toward all or a portion of your travel purchase of $100 or more made within the past 120 days. On top of that, for a limited time, you will earn over $500 in travel, 2x points per $1 spent, and a 5% rebate on all point redemptions. Learn more about it here.

9. Consult a travel agent

As you can see, bargain hunting can be a time-consuming process but it can pay off big time, especially if you are traveling with multiple people. If you don't want to spend the time and energy doing all the legwork, then call a travel agent and pay their fee, which can be $25 or more. A good agent will find you the same deals as you can find online and sometimes even better deals if they are clever with the ticketing (usually for international flights). To give you an example, once I was flying from London to Bangkok and everything I was finding online was over $1,000. I called my travel agent and he found a flight on Etihad through Abu Dhabi for $550. It was well worth the $25 fee.

10. Hidden city trick

The airlines do not like the hidden city trick even though you are beating them at their own game. With that said it's against airline policy so you didn't learn it from me! Here's how it works: Once I needed to get from L.A. to Cleveland and a last minute one-way ticket was a whopping $600. I took my own advice and searched alternate airports and found a ticket to Buffalo (BUF) for only $230. I noticed that the flight first was stopping in Cleveland and then connecting to Buffalo. What's crazy is that the first flight was the exact same $600 flight I originally found.

I know it makes no sense since Buffalo is farther from Cleveland and you have to take two flights instead of one but that's the airlines for you. If I'd wanted to break airline policy, I could have just gotten off in Cleveland and let my connecting ticket to BUF go to waste. If I had done that, I would have bought a one-way ticket, made sure not to check bags, got on the plane early so I didn't have to gate check a bag or put my mileage account number since the airlines can take away all of your miles. Consult Skiplagged.com since they show you the hidden cities.

I hope this guide helps you find cheap flights and more importantly, allows you to spend the holidays with the ones you love.

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The post 10 Ways to Find Cheap Christmas Flights appeared first on Johnny Jet.

QOTD: What Automotive Accoutrement Did You Buy Today?

Did you make it out to the stores today? If so, we hope you've made it back home free of injuries. If you're still in the thick of it, perhaps bartering with a stranger you're a little bit scared of, well, best of luck. No doubt some of you belong to that ambitious crop of […]

The post QOTD: What Automotive Accoutrement Did You Buy Today? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

Travel Style: Joe Baur

Joe Baur

Want to know how to travel in style, just like the pros? We check in with frequent fliers to find out how often they fly, their favorite destinations and what they never leave home without.

Name: Joe Baur

Occupation: Travel writer, photographer, filmmaker, and podcaster through Without A Path at joebaur.com; and Content Marketing & Communications at trivago

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Residence: Düsseldorf, Germany

College: Miami University

College major: Mass Communication and Film Studies

Website: joebaur.com

Twitter: @BaurJoe

Facebook: Joe Baur

Instagram: baurjoe

Pinterest: Joe Baur

Google+: Joe Baur

YouTube: Joe Baur

Short bio: If you couldn't tell from the eight previous references to my name, I'm Joe Baur. I'm a travel writer who also does some filmmaking, photography and podcasting. My niche is getting off the tourist trek to find stories people aren't already talking about. I'm especially passionate about traveling to destinations that have a bad image in mass media so I can meet people and tell a different story.

Over the years I've worked with some of the familiar travel outlets, but I'm currently focusing on my own writing at joebaur.com and travel book writing. I've done a few guidebooks, but I'm really into that Bill Bryson style of narrative mixed with humor, history and culture. So with that in mind, I'm releasing “Talking Tico: (Mis)adventures of a Gringo in and around Costa Rica” this autumn on my year(-ish) of living in Costa Rica. Details are up on my website. Then I'll be looking ahead for my next project as I continue to more intimately explore Europe and (hopefully soon) North Africa.

How often do you fly? At least once every other month. Sometimes more as opportunities and time allow.

How many countries have you been to? About 22. Now that I'm based in Europe, I expect that number to jump considerably in the near future, much like it did when I lived in Central America. I've also traveled around 45 U.S. states.

How many continents have you been to? North America, South America, Europe, Asia.

Earliest travel memory: Fighting with my older brother in the backseat on the way to the corn fields of Iowa where they filmed Field Of Dreams. Once the dust settled of his fists pummeling me-most likely because I hit him first-we arrived to the famous diamond and home where Kevin Costner started hearing things. We posed for a picture in front of the house with our baseball bats and played in one of the never-ending pickup games before running into the corn stalks screaming, “I'm melting! I'm melting!”

Favorite American city: I'm a homer, especially when I'm away, so I have to say Cleveland. Hometown pride aside, Cincinnati's Over-The-Rhine neighborhood is easily one of my favorite neighborhoods in the country, I'm a big fan of Minneapolis for its cycling scene, and hippy enclaves like Boulder and Asheville are always a good time.

Favorite international city: Impossible to say definitively. Depends on my mood, time of year, what I'm actively interested in, what I feel like eating, and a whole mess of other factors. That said, Tokyo can generally always hit those parameters. Santiago, Chile and Bern, Switzerland also come to mind, but I need to spend more time in both.

Least favorite country: The United States, which I only say because it's the only country I feel I know intimately enough to have a truly negative opinion of at times. Sure, I've had unpleasant experiences overseas, but the U.S. is my home country. I've seen it at its worst. The politics, the car culture, the gun culture, the xenophobia-you name it.

But because I know it so well, it's also one of my favorite countries.

I have no desire to go to: There are places I'm not as jazzed about seeing, but I think the moment I inherently cross places off my list is the moment I need to stop calling myself a travel writer.

Friendliest people in the world: In general, U.S. Americans, Costa Ricans and Germans. I've lived in all of these places, so they come immediately to mind. Some places and/or nationalities that stick out with limited exposure are Salvadorans, Filipinos, Jordanians, and Japanese.

Country with the meanest immigration officers: The United States, but anecdotally, it seems to have gotten much better in recent years. At its worst I was crossing the border by car from Windsor, Canada to Detroit early in the morning for a half-marathon. Hundreds clearly stayed in Canada due to booked hotels in Detroit, yet the border officer was oddly suspicious of the car being licensed to my parents in Ohio, my Ohio ID, and the fact that I was coming from Chicago, where I lived at the time. He had me pop the trunk and explain the bags of clothes, which were bundled up for donation. Other times I've felt like I'm being quizzed in hopes of screwing up so the border agents could have something to do. But again, I've lately noticed nothing but pleasant smiles and war, greetings when returning to the States. Perhaps they got the memo that foreigners were putting the U.S. lower on their travel list thanks in part to grumpy border agents.

Favorite World Heritage Site: PETRA-PETRA-PETRA! I came into it thinking that, like the Taj Mahal or something, you just walk up, observe it for a bit, then go back to the hotel. I was prepared to see the main temple, hum the Indiana Jones theme song, and call it a day. But this was more accurately a UNESCO National Park. You can hike for days among the ruins. I did about 20 miles in two days. Can't recommend it enough.

Favorite airline: SWISS. They greeted my wife and I, sweaty from sprinting through security after a late transfer, with wide smiles and chocolate. “We've been expecting you!” Then we got on the plane and got more chocolate.

Favorite aircraft type: Anything that isn't one of those 60-minute jumpers in the States.

Aisle or window: Window. I know I can make myself go to the bathroom before the flight like a big boy and control my water intake so I'm not getting up every hour. Others, I've found, aren't as trustworthy, so I prefer the window over getting trampled on in the middle of my flight so someone can pee.

Plus I still stare out the window during the landing.

Favorite airport lounge: Only one I've spent considerable time in is LATAM's new-ish lounge in Santiago, Chile, because I was covering the opening. That did not suck. Otherwise, I've done the United at O'Hare once or twice and it did the job.

Favorite U.S. airport: Minneapolis, probably.

Favorite international airport: I'll go with San José, Costa Rica only because they separate travelers with kids from travelers without kids.

Favorite hotel: Bosque del Cabo and the Lodge at Pico Bonito come to mind for natural destinations with hiking right outside the front door. For cities, as long as it's a reasonably comfortable bed within walking distance to public transport and/or the main pedestrian plaza, I'm happy.

Favorite cruise line: UnCruise Adventures. I'm highly suspicious of any of the big brands that turn boats into unnatural floating cities full of God knows how much human feces and disease, not to mention the environmental destruction they cause.

Favorite travel credit card: United's MileagePlus has been good to me.

Favorite island: Puerto Rico's Culebra Island.

Favorite beach: The beaches of Culebra and El Tunco, El Salvador.

Favorite National Park: Boy, that's tough. Loved Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota and wish I could spend more time there. But Arenal in Costa Rica and Cerro Verde in El Salvador also come to mind. Plus I just got back from Eifel National Park in Germany, and good Lord, that was just a gorgeous experience right when I was craving the crisp fresh air of Autumn done right. And I was just talking about Pico Bonito in Honduras with someone. I guess it's like “favorite city.” Depends on my mood and what I'm craving.

Favorite fancy restaurant: I feel very uncomfortable any place that's overtly fancy, so nothing is ringing a bell.

Favorite hole-in-the-wall: Now we're talking…I can't remember the names, but I hopped in and out of so many little joints in Tokyo where the street was only as wide as a few people, and you had to squeeze into the joint to grab a seat. That's the happiest I've ever been when it comes to enjoying a hole-in-the-wall.

Favorite bar: I went to Happy Dog and Platform on the west side of Cleveland a good amount back home. I met my wife at Happy Dog, so hard to top that.

Favorite fruit: I hated pineapple before I moved to Costa Rica. Then I moved to Costa Rica and had a proper pineapple. I now love pineapple.

Favorite food: It's an ongoing battle between Indian, Thai and Mexican. For a specific food, chicken chorizo sausage from Cleveland's West Side Market.

Least favorite food: Cucumbers.

Drink of choice (in the air and on the ground): A good IPA if it's chilly out or a cold hefeweizen if it's hot.

Favorite travel movie(s): Movies like The Beach and Seven Years In Tibet first got me imagining places outside of the United States for the first time. Wild would be a more recent example.

Favorite travel show(s): I'm going to be super original and say Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. I'd love to find something else to add to that list, but nothing else quite hits my taste for challenging North American preconceived notions about certain destinations, like an Iran, by introducing viewers to the people of the country.

Favorite travel book(s): “A Walk in the Woods” cemented my interest of actually being a travel writer and was the first piece of travel literature I read. Since then I've quite enjoyed 'It's Not About The Tapas,” “Overbooked” (not travel, per say, but about the industry), “Swiss Watching,” and “The Wonder Trail.” In general, I try to read at least one travel book for every destination I'm about to visit.

Right now I am reading: “A Tramp Abroad” (Germany), “The White Island” (Ibiza) and “Venice” by Jan Morris. And that's because I live in Germany, am heading to Ibiza later this week, and then Italy at the end of the month.

Top 3 favorite travel newsletters/magazines/blogs: Roads & Kingdoms; Skift; National Geographic.

Favorite travel website(s)-besides JohnnyJet.com, of course! To be honest, I do a terrible job of monitoring my colleagues. I'm certainly up for it, though. Part of my hesitation and frustration is that so much of the material out there seems to be listicles and “I went on this free trip that 10 other travel bloggers you know went on. READ MY BLOG!” If there's stuff out there that focuses on photography, video, podcasts and/or narratives of destinations that are a bit off the tourist trek, I really would be interested in reading it. Even if it's a touristy destination, I love reading stories about this or that neighborhood that tourists don't know about.

5 things you bring on a plane: Camera and my luggage bag. Not sure I can get to five, unless I can count my tooth brush and tooth paste as separate things. In general, I just pack whatever clothes and toiletries I'll need and my camera.

What do you always seem to forget? I've forgotten my pen-shaped lens cleaner a few times.

What do you like least about travel? The carbon footprint I know I'm leaving behind.

What do you want your loved one to buy you from an airport Duty Free store? Nothing. We have an agreed upon, “no things” arrangement. We're those, “we spend our money on experiences!” people.

Favorite travel app(s): DuoLingo, SkyScanner, GoEuro.

Most embarrassing travel moment: We locked ourselves out of our apartment in Germany by leaving our other set of keys in the key hole inside. Had no idea that would lock us out.

I'm embarrassed I haven't been to: New Orleans. It's probably the only major U.S. city I've yet to visit.

Worst travel moment: To put it delicately, anytime some new water or new food isn't agreeing with me and I have to do my best Usain Bolt impression to the bathroom.

What's your dream destination? Iran.

Favorite travel charity: I'm not aware of any travel charities out there that I really like. I'm also not an expert. I'm suspicious of those that want you to fly across the world to spend a few days with kids so you can get some Facebook photos. Not that they're all like that, but that's the gist of what I've seen. Like good travel blogs, I'd love to learn more about great travel charities.

One of my many dreams is to be in a place where I can fund travel writing scholarships for writers from destinations that aren't necessarily getting included in press trips. Travel writing is flooded with white folks (like me!) from the States or Europe. I'd like to see more diversity out there, so any opportunity to fund budding writers with the interest without necessarily the financial means or an audience with financial means would be a worthy cause.

Best travel tip: You can usually take the travel warnings with a grain of salt. Be smart. Be vigilant. Do your homework, but don't dismiss entire regions of the globe because they look different or simply don't have the greatest image floating around mass media. Those are the places where you're going to have the most memorable experiences. Go there and tell those stories.

Oh, and as Charlie Chaplin said… Smile.

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