Ebates

At it's most basic, Ebates is tool that earns you cash back on many items you buy online and in stores. Yes, it's hard to believe but it works and is safe. Stores offer different amounts of cash back and occasionally run specials for even more.  

Once you are signed up (for free!), you simply navigate through the Ebates website or app to your favorite store. Once you checkout, Ebates will calculate what your cash back bonus amount will be. Ebates mails you a real paper check every 3 months. My first Big Fat Check was for $37.98, which included a $10 welcome bonus. As of right now, the check I will receive in May will be for $58.65, based on the purchases I have made.  

(For purchases of hotel stays and rental cars, the bonus will be applied 3-5 weeks after the event is completed.)

Over 2000+ stores offer cash back, along with thousands of coupons to give you additional savings. You can save up to 40% cash back on almost everything you buy.

If you want to sign up and get $10 cash back instantly, click here:

$10 cash back to get started  

Some may be worried about their spending habits being monitored.  Every purchase we make is monitored in some way or other - I might as well get some money back. 

I have had a great experience and you can, too.

A great carry on bag

On short flights in Europe, there are very strict carry-on limitations, both for size and weight. 

AerLingus recently began offering direct flights from Bradley to Dublin, Ireland, with connections to many other destinations in Europe. Many of those connecting flights limit cabin baggage to 15 lbs and no more than 18.5"H x 13"W x 8"D. Click here to see AerLingus Cabin Baggage Limitations 

Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) offers direct flights from Bradley to Edinburgh, Scotland. (Yay!) Hand baggage on NAS is limited to 21.5"H x 15.75"W x 9"D, plus a small personal item no larger than 9.8"H x 13"W x 7.8"D with a maximum combined weight of 22lbs. Click here to see NAS Hand Baggage Limitations

With this in mind, I searched for and discovered the Travelon Wheeled Underseat Carry-On with Back-Up Bag, Black, One Size I purchased it through Amazon, but you can find it cheaper at ebags, especially if you take advantage of cash back on ebates.

The nicely quilted bag is made with a microfiber fabric and is wipeable.  It is 14” high x 12” wide x 8.5” deep and weighs 5.7 lbs empty. The first thing I noticed was how smoothly the telescoping handle went up and down. There are two straps that snap together to form a very comfortable carrying handle. The zippers are large and strong. The bag just feels well put together.

The bag has an external pocket that opens to hold a water bottle, which we purchase after security. When the pocket is not in use, there is a velcro strip to hold it closed. The back of the bag is hard-sided and has a strap that you can slide over the handle of a larger bag. The zippered front section has several storage compartments, perfect for electronic devices and prescription medications for easy access.

The bag also comes with a Back-Up Bag, perfect for traveling home with new found treasures.

We used it on a flight to Edinburgh and it came in SO handy on the small connecting plane from Dublin. This jet is boarded from the rear, after climbing a narrow flight of stairs from the tarmac. The aisles are also narrow and the bag had to be carried. It easily slid under the seat in front of me, despite being 1/2" larger than the allowed cabin baggage depth.

The bag has now been used for several flights, one cruise and a weekend away and is hardly showing any wear at all.  DH used it as his sole luggage for a weekend trip to San Diego, as our small and medium packing cubes fit right in.  I love it and would purchase it again.

If you think this bag might be right for you, click here. (And, yes, I will receive a small kickback - Thanks! But I recommend this bag regardless.)


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Lago Mar is not Mar-a-Lago

Please do not confuse the two. 

Lago Mar is located in Fort Lauderdale and is a wonderful vacation spot for everyone.  We have stayed there several times.  It has been loved and operated by the same family since 1959. 

Mar-a-Lago is located in Palm Beach, is owned by Donald Trump and is currently a club for the ultra-rich. Unless you've got seven or more zeros at the end of your bank statement, you cannot afford to visit.  Why would you want to when you have the lovely Lago Mar just down the coast?

This can be practice

The CT Wine Trail is made up of many vineyards statewide, all offering samples of their wines for a small price. There is a passport program, wherein visitors stop by a winery, have a sample and get their passport stamped. At the end of the season, which runs from early May to mid-November, completed passports go into a drawing for a trip to a European wine destination. DH and I plan to participate this year.

This past weekend, DH asks if I’d like to visit a winery. I remind him that it is too early, it’s not even May and we won’t get our passports stamped. He responded, “Can we call it practice?”

It’s about a thirty five minute drive from our house to Chamard Winery, located in Clinton, Connecticut.

 

The tasting room is a lovely, vaulted space with high top tables for seating or a standing bar to sample the wines. We paid $10 each to sample 5 wines, 3 white and 2 red. The server gave impressive descriptions of each wine which went completely over my head.

We enjoyed our wines so much that we decided to stay for lunch and enjoy their Bistro. We sat at a table with a lovely view of the vines.  The menu was varied with something for everyone. DH had the charcuterie plate and I had eggs benedict. We both enjoyed our food.

As for the wines, I had Stone Cold White made with grapes from the Cayuga area of New York State.  It was crisp and citrus-y and I really liked it.  DH had the "Estate Merlot." He said it was earthy, and had so much body that it reminded him of stout.

We had a fun afternoon.  And since this was practice, we get to do it all over again in the coming months. 

You don't have to travel far

You don't have to travel far away to feel like you've gone on vacation.  DH and I spent a few hours in Essex, CT  this past Sunday.  Wandering up and down Main Street gave us a glimpse of many stately historic homes, old commercial buildings and the Connecticut River.

New England Today magazine even called it the "perfect small town" and a great place to visit.  

We agree.  Here are some of the pictures we took.

We highly recommend the Griswold Inn Goods & Curiosities Shop. We always find a unique gift for ourselves or someone else. All price ranges, too.

Don't be afraid to bring your kids and dogs, just be aware that Essex is very clean and you should be prepared to pick up any messes.

A surprise destination

A weekend away to a surprise destination - that's what he promised.  The only hint he gave was that I would not need my passport.  When the day came, my directionally-challenged hubby drove north out of Connecticut.  As the miles passed, the destination possibilities decreased substantially.  When we turned off onto I-89 north, I made a guess of Stowe, Vermont and I was right!

We passed Sharon, Vermont and a sign directing us to the birthplace of Joseph Smith.  Mental note: return here someday for possible Xmas card photos.

Although it was too early for foliage, the drive through Vermont was lovely.  We stopped in South Royalton for lunch.  I finally got to see Vermont Law School, a place where I used to send copies almost daily when I worked for interlibrary loan at WNEC Law.

During the final approach to Stowe, I got the biggest surprise when DH announced we would be staying at the Trapp Family Lodge! As a long-time Sound of Music fan, I've always wanted to see the place where Maria and Georg ended up.

First this you notice when you drive up to the lodge is the stunning view.  It really is breathtaking and changes constantly with the weather.  I could pull up a chair and spend the day looking at that view.  Photos do not do it justice.

The main lodge is built in what I assumes is an alpine style.  It is very picturesque and there is much attention to detail.

Throughout the hallways there are framed photography of the von Trapp family members on premises.

The room numbers are hand stenciled.

The mens and ladies restrooms are designated by little brass signs of children in lederhosen.

There are lovely gardens on all sides of the lodge and an apple orchard in the back for those who don't have a view of the mountains.

Just down the hill from the main lodge is the von Trapp Brewery, a great place for a drink, a sandwich and deck for a different perspective of the view.  On certain nights of the week, which we happened to catch, there is an open fire and a sing-a-long.  DH enjoyed a pint and we split a lovely apple strudel.

South of the main lodge are large vegetable gardens that you are welcome to wander through.  There is even time scheduled that you can chat with the gardeners and ask questions.  We loved the moveable chicken coop with a ton of chickens that are trapped by moveable fencing.  

Also on the property are miles of trails, one of which goes to a chapel built by the family. 

We spent 3 days in the area, enjoying Stowe and Trapp Lodge and hope to return soon.

Query:  What is it with Vermont houses and tilted windows?

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife Drive

The J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on Sanibel Island in Florida.  It is named  after the cartoonist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling, who worked for Walt Disney during part of his career.   He was an avid conservationist and served as director of the US Biological Survey, the predecessor of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Wildlife Drive is a small part of the attractions at the Wildlife Refuge and, due to limited time, is what we choose to do during our visit to Sanibel.  The Drive is about 4 miles long and there are several hiking trails that can be accessed from the Drive.   Here is a link to the brochure you get when entering the Drive. Brochure

The drive costs $5.00 per car, $1.00 per bicyclists and $1.00 per pedestrian and is open every day of the year except Fridays.   There are areas we you can park your car and launch your kayak or paddle board.

We saw many kinds of seabirds and shorebirds.  

At one point there was a tower to climb to get a better view.

We even encountered some tiny reptiles on one of the trails that was entirely made up of boardwalk, so it was easily accessible.

What we enjoyed the most, however, were the jumping fish.  The scientific community is divided about why mullet jump out of the water - some jump to escape predators.  Others may jump during spawning season.  But it seems to me that these fellows were jumping because they enjoyed it!

We enjoyed our drive and all the things we saw.  Check it out next time you are on Sanibel Island.

Sanibel Gateway and Causeway

To escape the cold weather, DH and I recently traveled to the Fort Myers area.  We flew on JetBlue points (the only way to get to Florida!)  After much research and internal debate, I had booked the Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Myers Beach/Sanibel Gateway.  It turned out to be a great decision and we thoroughly enjoyed its central location and ease of access.  It is one of the top hotels in the Fort Myers Beach area and you can read more on TripAdvisor.

A lovely view of sunset from the pool deck.

There is a Walmart literally next door to the hotel and it is just a couple of miles down the road to Fort Myers Beach barrier island and a couple of miles from the Sanibel Outlets if you like to shop.

Another couple of miles past the outlets is the Sanibel Causeway, a manmade series of bridges and islands that connects the mainland to Sanibel Island.  The entire causeway is three miles long from end to end, and currently has a $6 toll in effect for island-bound vehicles only. The bridges are not individually named, and are simply referred to as bridges A, B, and C.  The second island has restroom facilities, as well.  There are countless places on the islands to pull off and wander along the water looking for the ever present shells of SW Florida.  You can face the open sea on the southeast sides or the quiet San Carlos Bay on the northwest sides of the islands

Between the sun, breezes, pelicans and passing boats, the Sanibel Causeway was our favorite part of the whole trip and we happily paid the toll just to hang out on these islands.