Trump's 'banned nations' inspire one-off dinner at Indian Street Food Co.

As court battles rage around the new U.S. administration's travel ban on citizens from six African and Middle Eastern countries, a local restaurateur is trying to raise awareness of the plight of people affected while raising money to help local immigrant populations.

On April 27, chef Hemant Bhagwani is set to host The 6ix Banned Nations Dinner at his midtown restaurant Indian Street Food Co. The menu will feature dishes from Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen (Iraq was dropped from the travel ban earlier this month, though refugees from all countries are still being blocked).

Out of each $75 ticket price (which includes food, drinks, tax and tip), $20 will go to the YMCA Immigrant Services program, which supports newcomers as they begin their lives in Canada. Bhagwani adds in a release that as an immigrant himself, he was outraged by the ban and wanted to find a way he could make a difference himself.

Bhagwani isn't the only local restaurant trying to use food to land a tiny blow in the fight against institutionalized xenophobia: Financial District gastropub the Garbardine has been offering specials that pay homage to each one of the banned countries, with 75% of sales from each dish going to the UN Refugee Agency. (Recent dishes include a delectable-looking Somali beef maraq stew.)

But, of course, nothing beats supporting members of the affected communities directly — may we suggest a visit to Pomegranate, Kabsa Mandi or Hamdi?

nataliam@nowtoronto.com | @nataliamanzocco

Source: Trump's 'banned nations' inspire one-off dinner at Indian Street Food Co.

How chefs shook up Hawaii's food scene and made farm to table more than trend

When chef George Mavrothalassitis moved to Hawaii 30 years ago, Hawaiian cuisine meant canned spam, teriyaki burgers and pizzas topped with canned pineapple rings — and little grown in Hawaii.

"I was surprised to find that restaurants were importing most of the fruits, vegetables, meat and even fish from the mainland," said the classically trained French chef, whose nickname — Chef Mavro — is also the name of his celebrated five-diamond restaurant in Honolulu.

"My philosophy has always been to cook from the local market wherever I am," he says.

"When I arrived in Honolulu in 1988, I realized that I wasn't the only chef frustrated by the Hawaii culinary scene at that time. So in 1990, 12 of us started to work closely with local farmers, fishermen and ranchers" to bring the bounty of Hawaii to restaurant menus.

Chefs fall in love with Hawaii's local produce.

(Michael Hiller)

Cooking from your surroundings

While that bounty no longer trumpets pineapple (most of the pineapple plantations that once dominated Hawaii shuttered long ago), chefs like Mavro — and a new guard that includes Massimo Falsini on Hawaii Island and Sheldon Simeon on Maui — have wholeheartedly embraced Hawaii's cornucopia.

"If you're not cooking from your surroundings, you shouldn't be a chef," says Simeon, a star of television's Top Chef and the chef/owner of Tin Roof restaurant on Maui. "It shouldn't even be a trend. You should be connected to your farmers and your community."

Four Seasons Hualalai chef Massimo Falsini 

(Four Seasons)

'We grow ourselves'

Few take that connection more seriously than Massimo Falsini, the executive chef of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

Born and raised in Italy, Falsini knows more about Hawaiian food than many Hawaiians. He's been working closely with local farmers to grow produce not typically seen on Hawaii.

"Whatever they don't grow, we grow ourselves on property," says Falsini, whose resort farm recently overflowed with San Marzano tomatoes (grown from seeds he brought from Italy), herbs and purple bell peppers.

About 100,000 of these baby East Coast oysters will eventually be harvested from a lake at the Four Seasons Hualalai and served at their restaurants. 

(Michael Hiller)

About 100,000 East Coast oysters grown in this pond on the the Four Seasons Hualalai golf course supply the resort's restaurant with sweet, briny oysters.

(Michael Hiller)

'Hawaii makes them sweeter'

On an aquifer-fed saltwater lake adjacent to one of the resort's two golf courses, Falsini and a staff of five full-time marine biologists are raising 100,000 baby East Coast oysters. The program began two years ago to supply Hualalai's restaurants with organic, fresh oysters.

"Feeding on the lake's natural plankton, our oysters can reach their full size in just a few months," says Kelly Makida, one of the biologists.

"They grow twice as fast here," which means several hundred each week will be served as oyster po' boys with arugula or on the half shell, splashed with yuzu ponzu sauce.

Hualalai's oysters are big, briny and sweet — "perfect oysters," says Falsini — because, as Makida puts it, "Hawaii makes them sweeter." Next year, tiger shrimp raised in a nearby aquaculture tank will also make their way to Falsini's menus.

Fresh ahi tuna for poke at Four Seasons Hualalai.

Michael Hiller

Fish tacos at the Four Seasons Hualalai Chef Fest.

Michael Hiller

Chefs at the Four Seasons Hualalai make from-scratch mozzarella and grow some of their own tomatoes at the resort. 

Michael Hiller

Pristine ingredients like ahi tuna, tara chips and kukui nuts go into the fresh poke at Four Seasons Hualalai.

Michael Hiller

"Massimo has really shaken up the food chain here," says Seamus Mullin, a noted New York City chef, cookbook author and frequent guest chef at the resort. "He's using locally raised grass-fed beef, fish delivered to his back door, vegetables grown in his garden, tomatoes grown up in Waimea."

Falsini's cadre of local suppliers runs more than a typed page long, a list of more than 50 small farms, ranches, fisherman and beekeepers. One of Falsini's chefs supplies the restaurants with fresh mozzarella made from local cows' milk.

"We are showing that the farmers, fishermen and ranchers are important," says Falsini. "It's like what we do in small towns in Italy. It's about relationships."

Four Seasons Hualalai's annual Chef Fest is the resort's annual food and wine festival highlighting notable chefs and Hawaiian ingredients.

(Four Seasons)

Building relationships

To deepen those relationships, Falsini and the Four Seasons resort host an annual Chef Fest, a weeklong celebration of Hawaiian ingredients, farmers and cooking that brings a dozen top American chefs to the resort each November for cooking classes, demos, guest chef dinners and camaraderie.

That's where noted chefs Jessica Koslow (of LA's Sqirl) and Chris Hastings (of Birmingham, Alabama's Hot & Hot Fish Club) developed an affinity for fresh Hawaiian hearts of palm, which Koslow says she grills, sprinkles with sea salt, drizzles with olive oil and "could eat all day if they'd let me," and which Hastings shaves, marinates in balsamic vinaigrette, then tosses with salads for a crunchy accent.

"Hawaiian hearts of palm are unlike any other in the world," says Hastings. "They have a beautiful texture and clean flavor that takes on the spirit of whatever you marinate it in."

Los Angeles celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec, Peit Troi, Ludo Bird) says he's crazy about Hawaiian macadamia nuts. "They're fatty and buttery and make a terrific paste with a little bit of sugar and salt that I crust over roasted lamb or even fish. Best in the world."

Dallas chef Christof Syre (of the Four Seasons Resort in Las Colinas) says he likes to wrap fish and pork in toasted banana leaves "to keep everything moist."

San Francisco chef Matthew Accarrino led a hands-on cooking class at the 2016 Chef Fest.

(Michael Hiller)

Don't mess with food

"There was a movement a few years ago — molecular gastronomy — where we tried to take things like corn and turn it into corn air. But then we figured out that it didn't taste as good as corn so we stop doing that," says chef Matthew Accarrino, who owns the Michelin-starred SPQR in San Francisco. "Hawaiian ingredients are so good they never had to mess with that."

Mavrothalassitis agrees. At Chef Mavro, he's been been buying fish at the docks and produce from local farmers for 30 years. His prix fixe menus allow the ingredients shine. He's been featuring a peppery watercress — grown on a multi-generational farm near the Arizona Memorial on Oahu — on every one of his menus since 1988 and often takes students to the farm to hear the owners' story of perseverance.

"Sometimes buying local means the cost is higher and sometimes it takes more time, but the reward is huge," he says. "We all succeed when local farmers succeed."

Michael Hiller is a food and travel writer based in Dallas. Follow his travels on Instagram @MikeHillerDallas.

Source: How chefs shook up Hawaii's food scene and made farm to table more than trend

Austria Map and Travel Planning Guide

Map of Austria with Rail Lines.  James Martin

Updated March 29, 2017.

Austria is a very interesting tourist destination in Central Europe. A mountainous, landlocked country, only a third of its territory is lower then 500 meters above sea level.

Austria is in the center of some prime tourist territory; it is bordered by Germany and the Czech Republic in the north, Hungary and Slovakia to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the South.

Austria has extensive rail lines--only the larger lines are shown on the map.

When you look at schedules, you'll see Vienna represented as Wien, the German name.

The mountainous Austria offers quite a few opportunities for scenic train routes. The best scenic train routes are mapped for you in our Scenic Train Routes in Austria.

The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) runs a network of 5700 km of rail lines.

Smaller companies run lines on alpine routes. There are lines running only in the summer for tourists as well.

Below are some representative times for rail journeys in Austria to other tourist destinations. Times depend upon speed of particular train chosen.

Vienna to Salzburg: 3-4 hours, 159 miles

Salzburg to Innsbruck: 2 hours, 86 miles

Salzburg to Munich: 1-2 hours, 70 miles

Vienna to Venice: 8-10 hours 273 miles

Resources for Austria on Europe Travel: Articles

See our Austria City Guide for information on Vienna, Salzburg, Bregenz, Villach and Hallstatt and other top Austrian travel destinations.

When visiting some of these top destinations, a tourist often takes a short tour of the city or a tour of the rural treasures found around the outskirts.

Viator has a page of its top Austria tours to peruse.

Pictures of Austrian Tourist Destinations

Vienna Pictures

Salzburg Pictures

Hallstatt Pictures

Other Austria Maps

Vienna and vicinity is rich in vineyards, and you can see on our Austria Wine Regions Map.

Currency

The currency in Austria is the Euro. At the time the Euro was adopted, its value was set at 13.7603 Austrian Shillings.

[more on the Euro]

Language

The primary language spoken in Austria is German. Dialects are spoken throughout Austria: Wienerisch in Vienna, Tirolerisch in the Tirol, and Volarlbergerisch in Vorarlberg. In major tourist centers, English is spoken widely.

Restaurants

You'll have a wide variety of eating places, including coffee houses, heurigen (wine bars) and pubs. In general, Austria restaurant food and service is remarkably well done, and not all of it is as heavy as you might expect. Still, you can dine on traditional Schnitzel (thin cut, usually of veal, breaded and fried) and Wiener Backhendl (chicken). To test if a Wiener Schnitzel is up to par, it can be sat upon in white trousers and should not leave a grease mark. This course of action is recommended only for brave souls with unlimited resources for buying trousers.

Tipping

A service charge of 10-15 percent in included in hotel and restaurant bills. Many people add 5% for good service. Attendants get a Euro or so, and taxi drivers expect 10 percent.

Austrian Rail Passes

As Austria is a small country, you might wish to purchase a rail pass for just Austria--but you might get a better deal by combining Austria and one or more other countries. A good combo is the Germany/Austria Pass Looking to go east? Try the Eurail Austria/Slovenia/Croatia Pass (Buy Direct or Get Information). A single country pass (Buy Direct or Get Information) for Austria is also available.

For more Rail Pass information, see Which Rail Pass is Right for Your Vacation.

Driving in Austria

General Speed Limits (unless posted otherwise): 50 km/h in towns, 100 km/h on highways, 130 km/h on motorways.

Driving on Austria's motorways requires the purchase and display of a "vignette" on your vehicle. Find out more about the Austrian Vignette.

Wearing seat belts is compulsory in Austria.

Austrian Airports

There are airports at Vienna, Linz, Graz, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt.

Weather, When to Go

The weather in Austria varies with altitude. For a map with information on historic climate of Austria, see Austria travel weather.

Source: Austria Map and Travel Planning Guide

Waze's 'Order Ahead' is a quicker way to grab food on the go

Dunkin' is the first eatery included in Waze's new "Order Ahead" feature, which made its debut as part of a software update made available today. The ordering process seems clunky initially, but easy enough to use once it's set up. First, users pick their favorite items via the Dunkin' Donuts app, using the existing on-the-go ordering feature. Then, the Waze app will locate the nearest Dunkin' and allow users to place their preset order with one tap.

Google, which owns Waze, says that more companies will be added to Order Ahead soon. As The Verge notes, restaurants like McDonald's, Taco Bell and Starbucks have mobile ordering capabilities in their apps, so it seems likely Waze will integrate with them at some point. Order Ahead is meant to be used before you hit the road for obvious safety reasons, but as The Verge points out, the feature could be particularly valuable in self-driving cars. Autonomous vehicle technology is quickly evolving, so adding features like these could make Waze more versatile in situations when operating a car doesn't require as much of our attention.

Order Ahead is a promising addition to Waze, but it could also be a storage nightmare if apps for each supported restaurant need to be installed on your phone. If Waze eventually manages true integration with all of your favorite dining destinations, though, it could become a killer all-in-one driving app.

Images: Mike Mozart via Flickr (Dunkin' Donuts sign, lead); Waze via Dunkin Donuts (App screenshot)

Source: Waze's 'Order Ahead' is a quicker way to grab food on the go

Brothers bring Filipino food to London’s once scariest place

Filishack Filipino street food truck is based in Peckham Square, London, SE15 5RS. . INQUIRER/Melissa Alcantara

LONDON — Things are heating up in the kitchen when I arrive at Filishack, a street food truck owned by British-Filipino brothers Justice and Jonathan Cacho, 27 and 20 years old respectively, on a Friday afternoon in Peckham Square.

"We're running a bit late today," Justice says cheerfully, turning marinated chicken pieces over on a smoking grill. "There was an electrical problem with the trailer earlier. All good now though."

Situated just outside Peckham Library, in a lively public square shared with a few other food carts, the young brothers have carved out a loyal tribe of regular customers in the area, thanks to their consistently good food and exclusivity as the first and only Filipino food joint in Peckham.

On their chalkboard menu, Filishack offers customers the choice of either Grilled Chicken (their top seller) or Braised Beef Adobo, in the form of a rice box (£5), salad box (£5) or burrito (£4-5).

Filishack menu. INQUIRER/Melissa Alcantar

Their grilled chicken, inspired by inasal, is marinated in lemongrass, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and vinegar; their adobo beef is braised in soy sauce, peppercorn, vinegar, garlic and bay leaf, with a dash of coconut milk.

"The food is really, really good here," says Annaliza, a Filipina woman on her lunch break, who orders a rice box for herself and her son. "It's the only place we eat from around Peckham because it's clean and delicious. It tastes like home."

Tessie, an African woman enjoying a pre-gym lunch, is another Filishack regular: "I come here regularly, though not as regularly as I would like. I always get the rice and chicken, no salad. It's amazing."

Word of mouth success

The brothers credit their success to serving consistently high quality food.

"Our food is simple and good," says Justice. "Our marketing [comparatively] is weak. We're completely built on word of mouth. We rely on hard work and focus on giving good food to people."

"People travel from Bermondsey and London Bridge just for our food. We even get one guy that drives here from Woolwich."

"That's without marketing, too. People like a change, compared to McDonald's, Subway and Jamaican food on offer around here."

"We also get lots of bodybuilders coming to us," adds Jonathan. "They always order extra meat or extra chicken. We probably go through about 108 kilos of chicken per week."

Located south of the River Thames, Peckham was infamously voted as one of London's most dangerous areas to live in, known for drug-dealing, shootings and gang warfare.

The brothers grew up along Peckham's Goldsmith Road, in a dangerous estate notoriously known as "yellow brick."

"Peckham was properly rough back in the day," says Justice. "You had to be street wise. You had to be able to survive. It's completely different now. There's a real sense of community here, from all walks of life. The 'gangsters' from before have families now, sometimes they even come and eat our food."

These days, Peckham is known for its vibrance and diversity, drawing a hip and artistic crowd to its streets. As the borough continues to gentrify, house prices have started to soar.

"We love the small enterprises that have started around Peckham and how it brings our community together," Justice previously told The Londonist magazine in an interview. "Peckham is not the new Shoreditch. Peckham is Peckham, and it's people that make it great."

Taking the leap

Before starting Filishack, Justice tried a variety of jobs, including working at a local money shop in Peckham, handling Western Union transactions.

Filishack's grilled inasal inspired chicken rice box served with salad. INQUIRER/Melissa Alcantara

Soon after, with no experience in the culinary industry, he joined a Japanese-Chinese street food enterprise and spent several years learning about the nature of the business before finally striking out on his own.

In 2015, Justice set up shop, running the food stall alone in Peckham before Jonathan, done with college, teamed up with his brother.

"Those were tough times," recalls Justice. "Doing everything alone was hard work."

When I ask what names they had come up with before settling on Filishack, the brothers laugh.

"We went through so many. Literally about a hundred," says Jonathan. "One was 'Rice Life.'"

Although the brothers only purchased their food truck in early 2016, they are ready to grow their enterprise.

"We've definitely got plans to expand," says Justice. "We want a shop. Having a premises would make us more stable. The shop has to be here in Peckham, one hundred percent.

"We've never done something like a food festival before but we'd love to. We say yes to every opportunity."

Brothers Justice Cacho and Jonathan Cacho, owners of Filishack Filipino food truck based in Peckham, London, SE15. INQUIRER/Melissa Alcantara

When quizzed about their favorite Filipino dish, Justice is quick on the ball: "I'm a sinigang guy. I love sinigang, I'll eat it all day."

Jonathan takes longer to decide. "That's so hard to answer. My favorite is probably my mum's lechon paksiw."

The temperature is starting to drop now, and my fingers are numbing. I ask one final question: how would they describe Filipino food?

Justice pauses before giving his answer: "It makes me feel like I'm at home."

Filishack is open Tuesday to Saturday, 12 — 5.30 p.m. Find it in Peckham Square, SE15 5RS (outside Peckham Library on the High Street side). Follow the food truck at facebook.com/filishack or @filishack on Twitter.

Source: Brothers bring Filipino food to London's once scariest place

Lisa Marie Varon’s The Squared Circle Restaurant To Be Featured On Travel Channel’s Food Paradise Show Tonight

Lisa Marie Varon's The Squared Circle Restaurant To Be Featured On Travel Channel's Food Paradise Show Tonight - Wrestlezone

Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org / GabboT

Former WWE/TNA star Lisa Marie Varon's (aka Victoria/Tara) Chicago wrestling themed restaurant, The Squared Circle, will be featured on a new episode of Travel Channel's Food Paradise show tonight at 7pm central time.

The episode is titled "Stuffed" as it focuses on unique stuffed burgers at several restaurants around the country. The episode description reads:

Road trip across America to discover the best stuffed foods in the nation. From a wrestling-themed restaurant in Chicago to a baked potato factory in Houston, there's nothing quite like these restaurants serving up flavorful stuffed bites.

For more information and the episode TV schedule visit here.

Have a news tip? Attended an event and want to send a live report? Submit it now! ]]>

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Source: Lisa Marie Varon's The Squared Circle Restaurant To Be Featured On Travel Channel's Food Paradise Show Tonight

The Pregame PB&J: How The Comfort Food Became The NBA's Recipe For Success

Enlarge this image

The league-wide's secret recipe to success is out: The NBA and the PB&J go together like, well ... Sharon White/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption Sharon White/Getty Images

The league-wide's secret recipe to success is out: The NBA and the PB&J go together like, well ...

Sharon White/Getty Images

It's hardly unusual for athletes, both amateur and professional, to have pregame rituals. But the NBA's peculiar commitment to one grade-school snack goes deep: ESPN Magazine calls the PB&J sandwich the league's "secret addiction."

"In every NBA locker room, you'll see a variety of different foods on the table, but PB&J — if there's a locker room that doesn't have it, I haven't seen it," ESPN reporter Baxter Holmes tells Scott Simon.

In this week's ESPN Magazine, Holmes dug into how a first-grader's lunch ended up as a locker room staple for professional basketballers.

The origin of the sandwich's league-wide residence traces back to a 2007-2008 season Boston Celtics anecdote.

Former star Kevin Garnett, who's hailed for revolutionizing the league's pregame diet, fatefully "decreed one day when he was hungry — after a fellow teammate likewise said he was hungry — and wanted a PB&J — that, 'Let's get on that,' " Holmes says.

And, because Garnett played well that game: "We're going to need PB&J in here every game now."

"It spread from there," Holmes says. "And that's not to say that peanut butter jellies haven't been consumed by athletes for a long time, but I'm certainly talking about on a mass-produced scale."

But in the NBA, where a player's body isn't just a temple, but a corporation, it's not the healthiest snack. So why PB&J?

In short, it's a quick, easy-to-make comfort food that lifts players' mentality. And, as busy as the athletes are, with "41 road games a year — they could have poor travel, they could not be feeling well, traffic," Holmes says, they crave something familiar and easily digestible.

Cro-Magnon might not have taken his first step in search of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but, Holmes says, "all these components that he was looking for are contained within, it's one of those magical foods in that way and because of it, the mental health benefits are what a lot of experts around the NBA say is actually one of its biggest benefit, just in simply, the opioids are released. It's calming players down, making them happy. ... There are some healthy fats and proteins and that gives them a little bit of energy. But the mental side of things, I mean, it truly is a comfort food."

And these athletes aren't scarfing down your average PB&J. Within the league, a number of players are known for their preferences.

"Russell Westbrook likes to butter the inside of the bread and then put peanut butter on it after it's toasted," Holmes relays. Carmelo Anthony likes his on a cinnamon raisin bagel. Latvian-born Knicks player Kristaps Porzingis hadn't heard of a PB&J until he was drafted. "I fell in love," he told The Wall Street Journal. "I grew up on PB&J's as a kid — it fueled me," Kevin Durant told Nike, amid a sneaker collaboration inspired by the star player's penchant. "Actually, PB&J is still my go-to snack."

Enlarge this image

The NBA's culinary obsession has even permeated fashion: Nike created the KD 6 PB&J Colorways (left), inspired by Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant's favorite snack, before releasing the KD 7 PB&J's (right), designed for youth athletes. Nike Inc. hide caption

toggle caption Nike Inc.

The NBA's culinary obsession has even permeated fashion: Nike created the KD 6 PB&J Colorways (left), inspired by Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant's favorite snack, before releasing the KD 7 PB&J's (right), designed for youth athletes.

Nike Inc. Interview Highlights

On whether different teams have different PB&J traditions

Certainly. So much depends on location, preferences of certain players. The Lakers have theirs catered by Whole Foods, the San Antonio Spurs have theirs catered by HEB Central Market which they have a partnership with in San Antonio. You go up to Portland: Half of their peanut butter and jelly sandwich order is toasted because the star player Damian Lillard likes them that way. You go up to Milwaukee and they're kind of one of the more interesting operations in the NBA. They do a PB&J buffet before the games, but the variety of nut butters and Nutella, all kinds of jams and jellies, different kinds of bread — they do peanut butter and jelly shakes, peanut butter and jelly oatmeal, waffles.

On whether the PB&J is a nutritional choice

Nutritionists I've talked to said it's not the healthiest snack, but it is healthier than, say, greasy junk food that they might get in arena concessions — fried food, hamburgers, whatever the case may be — particularly if there's just a little bit of hunger before a game. And then you dive a little bit into the science of it, and peanut butter and jelly is comprised of various components that humans enjoy, dating back to basically the Neanderthals when they were craving certain things for survival. Different kinds of fats and proteins and starches and what not, and this marriage of all these essential components are combined into PB&J. So when you ingest one, when you bite into one, these varied opioids are released. You're happy, most people kind of recognize that.

The Salt Diet Of Defeat: Why Football Fans Mourn With High-Fat Food

On the Golden State Warriors' PB&J ban that kick-started the "Great PB&J War of 2015"

They hired a sports scientist from Australia who wasn't familiar with the peanut butter and jelly fad in the NBA. And he wanted to do away with a lot of unhealthy foods like candies and sodas, cookies, but he included peanut butter and jelly in that umbrella. And when the team got on the team plane for their first flight of the year, they saw it was gone and that was the first shot fired in what became a peanut butter and jelly war between him and the players. Eventually they got them back and he is no longer employed by the team.

On the Cleveland Cavaliers' practice of keeping the good stuff to themselves

The Salt Elvis Left The Building Long Ago, But His Food (And Music) Lives On

If you go around the NBA, you're going to find all these little quirks all over the place when it comes to the peanut butter and jelly. But so they have a partnership with a fellow Ohio-based outfit in Smucker's and they provide about a dozen of the company's prepackaged "Uncrustables" PB&J's to opposing teams every night, even though there are a few teams that have told me they try to keep their players away from those because they're not very healthy.

Meanwhile, the Cavs make their own artisanal PB&J's prior to tipoff with homemade grape and raspberry jelly, almond butter and banana, and peanut butter and banana sandwiches. So they give the opposing teams one thing and they make themselves something completely different.

Well there's a whole new insight into how they were able to defeat Golden State in the last few seconds, of course which opens — what kind of PB&J does LeBron have?

I'm not particularly sure on his exact likes, but, I say this with feeling pretty confident, whatever it is that they're making, I'm sure he likes. I mean you have to remember around the NBA — and I mentioned it earlier with the Portland Trailblazers — if a player who's a star on that team has a particular preference, whether it's crust or no crust, a certain kind of bread, a certain kind of jelly, nut butter, whatever the case may be — I guarantee you that that team is going to accommodate it, and that that's probably going to be the key reason why they make whatever it is they make.

NPR's Emma Bowman contributed to this story. More importantly, she takes her PB&J with raspberry jam, in between creamy peanut butter on both bread slices a la Lakers' Brandon Ingram.

Source: The Pregame PB&J: How The Comfort Food Became The NBA's Recipe For Success

11 Travel Tools You Won’t Regret Splurging On

Frequent travelers are always in search of a good deal, but some things are worth spending a bit more on. What's the point in buying a cheap travel accessory if it's not going to last? Here are the travel tools worth investing in once—and how they'll help improve your travels, trip after trip.

Travel Tools Worth the Splurge Image Gallery View as one page Wireless Headphones

Don't let uncomfortable headphones or a screaming baby keep you from sleeping on your flight. Noise-canceling and sleep-friendly headphones are a travel tool worth splurging on if you have trouble sleeping on the plane, or simply want to block out the rest of the world.

SleepPhones look like a soft headband, but pack wireless speakers inside that will allow you to sleep in any position on the plane. You'll forget you're even wearing them; I use them to turn on white noise that lulls me to sleep when I'm restless in a new place. Comfortable noise-canceling headphones that pack small like Bose's wireless QuietComfort 35 are also a wise investment if you often max-out your volume to block outside noise.

Price and Where to Buy: SleepPhones Wireless from $100 on Amazon, Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones from $350 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) Wireless Headphones

Don't let uncomfortable headphones or a screaming baby keep you from sleeping on your flight. Noise-canceling and sleep-friendly headphones are a travel tool worth splurging on if you have trouble sleeping on the plane, or simply want to block out the rest of the world.

SleepPhones look like a soft headband, but pack wireless speakers inside that will allow you to sleep in any position on the plane. You'll forget you're even wearing them; I use them to turn on white noise that lulls me to sleep when I'm restless in a new place. Comfortable noise-canceling headphones that pack small like Bose's wireless QuietComfort 35 are also a wise investment if you often max-out your volume to block outside noise.

Price and Where to Buy: SleepPhones Wireless from $100 on Amazon, Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones from $350 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) Universal Power Converter

Don't be the American that blew a fuse. A universal power adapter that also converts voltage means you'll never have to worry about blacking out the hotel or shocking yourself (you don't want to learn this the hard way with a cheap convertor or adapter-only plug). Invest in a converter that meets your travel needs, like Zoppen's International Travel Adapter with Japan, U.K., E.U., and Australian compatibility. It also has four USB ports for device charging, and its retractable prongs makes it a super packable travel tool.

Price and Where to Buy: Zoppen International Travel Adapter, $35 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) Hiking Boots

If you're a hiker, camper, or just enjoy a walk in the woods, stop heading out in your gym sneakers. A durable pair of hiking boots will save your feet and ankles from injury and fatigue, and your sneakers from getting ruined—plus, this travel tool will last forever.

Keen has hiking shoe variations for every type of adventure, whether you want packable hiking shoes for shorter treks or boots with ankle support for rockier adventures. Keen's waterproof Gypsum II comes in both a men's and women's style and a variation of cool colors. These were my first hiking boots and may be my last: They're packable, durable, and provide all the support I need.

Price and Where to Buy: KEEN Gypsum II from $108 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) The Right Camera

Smartphone or not, every traveler should have a decent camera to capture the best of their trip. Good photos will last you a lifetime, so don't skimp on a camera or phone that doesn't get you clear shots. For something more capable of zooming in and getting the best light, invest in a DSLR camera—it's a travel tool worth packing if you're planning on printing and displaying your travel photos.

iPhone and Galaxy phones aren't the best, but will do for most trips and can be improved with clip-on lenses like AUKEY's HD wide-angle lenses. If you want to be able to get high-resolution images, a packable DSLR might less cost than you think—a Canon EOS Rebel starts at around $392 and will last you many years.

Price and Where to Buy: AUKEY's HD Camera Lens Kit from $43 on Amazon; Canon EOS Rebel from $392 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) Hard-Sided Luggage

Check your bag often? Consider a hard-sided suitcase that will last. Baggage handlers can get rough, and you never know what could end up broken or damaged on a bumpy flight. Briggs & Riley's Sympatico hard-sided spinner expands by 22 percent to fit everything you need, and it compresses back down to meet airline size limits if you decide you'd rather take it as a carry-on. It comes with a lifetime guarantee that you'll never have to pay for repairs, so while it is pricey, it could be the last suitcase you ever buy—making it the ultimate travel tool.

Price and Where to Buy: Briggs & Riley's Sympatico International Carry-On Spinner from $389 on Amazon.

(Photos: Amazon) Combination Back-Up Charger

A portable charging bank is a must-have travel tool in case your run out of phone battery in an unfamiliar place—but new versions are killing two birds with one stone by combining them with other travel tools like luggage scales and flashlights. Oaxis Air Scale can give you a digital reading of your bag's weight when it's not charging your device, and other packable chargers like Oripow's flashlight power bank have powerful built-in flashlights that can come in handy in an emergency. Having a multi-use version on you at all times will put more than one travel problem at bay.

Price and Where to Buy: Oaxis Air Scale from $50 on Amazon, Oripow 6400mAh Power Bank with LED Flashlight from $20 on Amazon (on sale).

(Photo: Green Goo) Toiletries

If you feel dehydrated or dirty when you get off the plane, you're probably not packing the right travel toiletries. Skimping on travel tools for freshening up can cancel out all your vacation relaxation—so instead of grabbing store-brand travel toiletries, go for organic ones like Green Goo that will make you feel like your normal self. These all-natural products will save your skin and hygiene with skin-repair packs, face-wash spritz, deodorant sticks, and even baby-friendly balms for nursing remedies and sensitive infant skin. You'll get off the plane feeling like your best self, and your seat mate won't suffer from strong toiletry fragrances.

Price and Where to Buy: Green Goo Travel Packs from $25 on Green Goo's website.

(Photos: Amazon) A Crossbody Travel Bag

Security, utility, and fashion can all be achieved with the right crossbody travel bag. Purchasing one on the smaller side is convenient and will force you to carry only what you need, and zippered pouches will keep pickpockets at bay. Travelon's Anti-theft LTD Crossbody is fashionable enough for all environments, and its compartments have RFID-blocking technology to deter digital theft as well.

Price and Where to Buy: Travelon Anti-Theft Ltd Crossbody Travel Tote from $40 on Amazon.

Packable Jackets

Bulky coats are not your travel friend, but it's important to have a warm outer layer as a travel tool in the colder months. Invest in a dense jacket with down, like Patagonia's Nano Puff for both men and women. Looking for something even thinner, or one with more substance? Consider these 10 great travel jackets that are easy to pack.

Price and Where to Buy: Patagonia Nano Puff from $155 on Amazon.

(Photos: AllBirds and Suavs) Cozy Walking Shoes

Don't sacrifice your feet for fashion, or fashion for your feet. New sockless shoes like Suavs and AllBirds are both cozy and on-trend.  AllBirds' merino wool makes them some of the most comfortable walking sneakers on the market, and Suavs' microfiber insoles' airflow and moisture-wicking elements prevent sweaty feet. Both are the ultimate travel tools when it comes to shoes, and you'll never want to take them off.

Price and Where to Buy: Suavs from $79 on their website, AllBirds from $95 on their website.

(Photos: Amazon) GoPro

Waterproof camera cases are the subject of too many horror stories about a ruined smartphone or camera on vacation. Instead, if you're hoping to get video of your active adventures in inclement weather or water, invest in a GoPro. These tiny mountable cameras are the perfect travel tool for capturing active memories like biking, snorkeling, and skiing. Mount your GoPro, which comes in a sealed waterproof case, and don't worry about damaging it or losing any of your photos. They might be cheaper than you think now that they're widely popular.

Price and Where to Buy: From $199 on Amazon.

More from SmarterTravel:

Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product.

Source: 11 Travel Tools You Won't Regret Splurging On

You Could Win a Trip to Iceland With Hilton — Travel With Purpose

I magine enjoying Iceland in proximity to the Arctic Circle; as well as its vivid landscapes and natural wonders — such as the Northern Lights and daylight 24 hours per day during the summer as two of many examples.

You may not have to imagine that scenario with this opportunity from Hilton — and you can simultaneously help to save our planet.

You Could Win a Trip to Iceland With Hilton — Travel With Purpose

In celebration of what is known as Earth Hour — which this year is on Saturday, March 25, 2017 starting at 8:30 in the evening and ending at 9:30 local time and is the worldwide initiative for the planet as organized by the World Wildlife Fund — Hilton launched a global social media contest where you could win a trip to Iceland; but you must enter as a contestant by Saturday, April 1, 2017.

During Earth Hour, you turn off your lights for an hour to save energy. Based upon that theme, you are invited to submit a photograph and caption showing how you celebrated the event by saving energy — along with using the hashtags #EarthHour and #TravelwithPurposeContest. The grand prize includes travel and accommodation — including a stay of five nights at the Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre hotel property in Iceland.

Appropriately, the winner of this contest will be announced on Earth Day, which is Saturday, April 22, 2017. Judging will take place from Sunday, April 2, 2017 through Friday, April 7, 2017; and winners will be contacted on or approximately Monday, April 10, 2017

No purchase or payment is required or necessary to enter, play, win or claim a prize; and a purchase or payment will not increase your odds or chances of winning.

Additional information pertaining to the #TravelwithPurposeContest is found at the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts of Hilton.

There is a limit of one entry per person per platform per day during the Contest Period, for a maximum of three entries per day. You may use the same entry on multiple platforms on the same day; but you may not use the same entry on subsequent days.

There are three ways to enter the contest during the contest period…

How to Enter the Contest Via Twitter

Follow the steps below to receive one entry into the grand prize pool of the contest via Twitter:

Sign into your non-private Twitter account;

Become a follower of @HiltonNewsroom — if not already following @HiltonNewsroom — and

Compose a new "tweet" and upload a photograph showing how you are "celebrating Earth Hour by saving energy" — including the hashtags "#EarthHour" and "#Travelwithpurposecontest"

How to Enter the Contest Via Instagram

Follow the steps below to receive one entry into the grand prize pool of the contest via Instagram:

Sign into your non-private Instagram account, as entries from users with protected or private accounts may not be received;

Become a follower of @HiltonNewsroom — if not already following @HiltonNewsroom — and

Compose a new Instagram post sharing how you are "celebrating Earth Hourby saving energy," including the hashtags "#EarthHour" and "#Travelwithpurposecontest"

How to Enter the Contest Via Facebook

You may post a photograph here showing how you are "celebrating Earth Hour by saving energy," including the hashtags "#EarthHour" and "#Travelwithpurposecontest" to receive one entry into the grand prize pool of the contest via Facebook.

Grand Prize

The grand prize consists of a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland, which include round-trip economy class air transportation from a major commercial airport near the residence of the winner of the grand prize to Reykjavik, Iceland for two people; and five nights hotel standard accommodations — single room with double occupancy — at the Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre hotel property.

The approximate retail value of the grand prize is $3,000.00.

The guest of the grand prize winner must be 18 years of age or older. If the grand prize winner elects to travel or partake in the prize without a guest, no additional compensation will be awarded to the grand prize winner. The trip must be taken within one year of accepting the prize or the grand prize will be forfeited.

The grand prize winner and guest are responsible for possessing valid travel documents — including government identification and passports. The grand prize winner is responsible for all travel expenses not included herein — including airline baggage fees, gratuities, meals, and any other incidental costs or expenses related to participation in this prize. Travel must be booked a minimum of seven days in advance.

Entry Judging

All eligible entries received during the contest period will be judged by a panel of qualified judges, who will score the entries — the entrant in the grand prize pool whose entry receives the highest score will be potential grand prize winner — according to the following weighted criteria:

Creativity: 30 percent — this is the tiebreaker in the event of a tie score;

Relevance to Theme: 30 percent;

Visual Impact: 40 percent

Entry Requirements

If any entry fails to comply with any of the following entry requirements or any other provisions of the official rules — the incorporation of any intellectual property owned by a third party into your entry is at your own risk — the entrant may be disqualified, as entries:

Must be an original work;

Must include the hashtags "#EarthHour" and"#Travelwithpurposecontest"

Must be in English — except for commonly understood foreign words;

Cannot have been published previously by any party other than the entrant;

Must be suitable for publication — for example, may not be obscene or indecent;

Cannot prominently feature trademarks, logos or trade dress owned by any third party, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind, other than that of the sponsor;

Cannot contain infringe on the intellectual property rights of third parties;

Cannot include the name, likeness, photograph, or other indicia identifying any person, living or dead, without permission from that person;

Cannot be sexually explicit or suggestive, violent or derogatory of any ethnic,racial, gender, religious, professional or age group;

Cannot promote illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any ofthe foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political agenda or message;

Cannot describe or depict any illegal activity or violation of any state or feeder allaw;

Must not include any personally identifiable information — including full name, e-mail address, telephone number, etcetera;

Must not contain any viruses, spyware, malware, or other malicious components that are designed to harm the functionality of a computer in any way

Must not contain, facilitate, reference or use material that contains prohibited content which shall include, but is not limited to content that promotes, suggests, or encourages:

Gambling, including without limitation, any content related to online casinos, sports books, bingo or poker;

The use of prostitution, pornography, nudity, profanity or other adult content, or violence;

The taking up of arms against any person, government or entity or otherwise challenge or seek to overthrow any government

The Commitment of Hilton to the Environment

Hilton and the World Wildlife Fund announced back in 2015 a multi-year commitment to collaborate on a strategy of water stewardship; expand sustainable seafood efforts; advance food waste efforts; and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy across the portfolio of hotel and resort properties of Hilton worldwide.

"We're incredibly proud that the Earth Hour movement was conceived at the Hilton Sydney nearly 10 years ago," said Maxime Verstraete, who is the vice president of corporate responsibility at Hilton. "Almost every year since, our Team Members have combined their passion for hospitality with fun, local activities supporting the movement. This year we're looking beyond our more than 4,900 properties, and inviting the world to be part of another exceptional Hilton experience. We hope our Travel with Purpose Contest will inspire others to learn more about climate change and energy conservation."

Thousands of Hilton properties around the world have participated in Earth Hour activities by finding creative ways to raise awareness about energy conservation and climate change — from arranging candle-lit dinners to hosting acoustic music performances for guests.

Select Rules, Terms and Conditions

This Contest is offered only to individuals who are eighteen (18) years or older at the time of entry. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

If an entrant enters from his/her wireless phone, the entrant's wireless service provider may charge the entrant. Entrants should consult their wireless-service providers regarding their pricing plans. Message and data rates may apply.

Other official rules, terms and conditions apply — be sure that you read all of them carefully and agree with them before participating in the sweepstakes — which include but are not limited to those dealing with the topics of:

Privacy and personal information

Release and limitations of liability

Selection and verification of winners

Winner notification procedure

Disqualification of participants

Criteria and restrictions pertaining to claiming and using prizes once they are won

Rights

Publicity

Tax liability

Technical issues

Legal waivers and statements

Unclaimed prizes and prize forfeiture

Cancellation or postponement of prizes

How to find out the names of the winners

What can potentally happen in the event of a dispute

Burden of proof of submission of entry

Typographical errors

Other disclaimers and conditions of participation

Summary

My first thought was to send a photograph of nothing but black. Hey — I turned off my lights at night. What would you expect?!?

In all seriousness, this campaign is a great way to bring about awareness to our environment — and I learned a few things about Hilton and its commitment to the environment.

No, the photograph at the top of the article is not Iceland; but it is part of a hotel property in the Hilton portfolio. Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.

Related

Source: You Could Win a Trip to Iceland With Hilton — Travel With Purpose

NBA players prefer Instagram to Tinder to sleep around on the road

The NBA is more streamlined these days. Everything from travel, food, sleeping and even the taboo hookups on the road are catered to its players. 

An article for ESPN The Magazine takes readers inside the life of NBA players during road trips and how a "Tinderization of the NBA," as one GM put it, is actually beneficial for the league. 

"It's absolutely true that you get at least two hours more sleep getting laid on the road today versus 15 years ago," an unnamed All-Star told ESPN, adding that players actually prefer Instagram to Tinder when away from home.

Thanks to the technology, traveling players aren't in the clubs searching for women and thus are drinking alcohol less and sleeping more as they look to stay on top of their game.

"No schmoozing. No going out to the club. No having to get something to eat after the club but before the hotel," the unnamed All-Star said. 

Some players have road hookups down to a science and arrange to have keys left at the hotel so dates can be inside the room when a player arrives. Adult film actress Lisa Ann prefers to hang out with NBA players and Khloe Kardashian has dated multiple players. 

As long as an NBA player doesn't make the same mistake D'Angelo Russell did and spill his teammates' infidelities on the internet, expect the trysts to continue. 

Source: NBA players prefer Instagram to Tinder to sleep around on the road

American latest to bring free food back to coach

This image provided by American Airlines shows one of the meal options economy customers will get on cross-country flights between New York JFK and the California cities of Los Angles and San Francisco starting May 1, 2017. (Photo: American Airlines)

American Airlines is bringing free food back to the economy cabin on two of its high-profile of cross-country routes. The change mirrors a similar move announced last month by rival Delta Air Lines.

Beginning May 1, American will add complimentary meals for all customers on "select coast-to-coast flights" operated with its Airbus A321T aircraft. American's A321Ts are configured for long transcontinental flights and include lie-flat seats in first- and business-class.

The "select" routes will be American's non-stop flights connecting New York JFK to the California cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"Some of our best customers fly our trans-continental routes and we want to give them a top-notch onboard experience," Fernand Fernandez, American's VP – Global Marketing, says in a statement. "Providing complimentary meals in the Main Cabin is yet another step we're taking to enhance our service in this competitive market."

TODAY IN THE SKY: The fleet and hubs of American Airlines, by the numbers (story continues below)

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What will economy fliers get on American's JFK-California routes? The carrier says that "depending on the time of day, customers will be offered a continental breakfast or a boxed meal with a sandwich wrap, kettle chips and dessert. The menu also includes a vegetarian option and a fruit and cheese plate."

American's announcement comes about a month after Delta said it would do the same on a dozen of its cross-country routes.

Delta's meal-service change started March 1 with complimentary food for all passengers on its flights between New York JFK and both Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Ten more routes are to be added April 24, when Delta expands the option to flights on the following city-pairs: Boston-San Francisco; Boston-Los Angeles; Boston-Seattle; Washington Reagan National-Los Angeles; New York JFK-Portland, Ore.; New York JFK-San Diego; New York JFK-Seattle; Seattle-Fort Lauderdale; Seattle-Orlando and Seattle Raleigh-Durham.

TODAY IN THE SKY: American completes 'Heritage' plane rollout with TWA, AirCal paint jobs (story continues below)

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The changes highlight a new round of fierce competition among the big airlines that fly lucrative coast-to-coast non-stops.

In particular, routes connecting the New York City airports to L.A. and San Francisco are among flagship domestic routes for American, Delta and United. JetBlue has also become a major player in those markets, adding lie-flat seats that have helped it match similar offerings on the others.

U.S. carriers also have stepped up their competition on other cross-country routes, notably from markets like Boston, Washington and Seattle.

Adding to the mix will be Alaska Airlines. Alaska already competed on cross-country routes from Seattle, Portland, Ore., Los Angeles and San Diego, but now has acquired Virgin America and its transcontinental routes from hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

TWITTER: You can follow Today in the Sky editor Ben Mutzabaugh at twitter.com/TodayInTheSky

MORE: Now flying on American: Real international-style premium economy seats

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IN PICTURES: American Airlines' retro amenity kits

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Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2nsDWBU

Source: American latest to bring free food back to coach

Remember the good old days when you didn't have to bring your own food on an airplane but instead got Champagne and macadamia nuts?

Regarding "Please Don't Share That" [Letters, March 12]: I agree that bringing foods on an airplane where the air is recirculated (stale) is not the nicest thing. With people demanding low airfares, and labor costs high, what's an airline to do?

I try to ignore folks who carry on stinky food, dress as though they're on their couch at home and act as if they were brought up in a bad environment.

For those of us who flew when airlines had a different model, the memories of macadamia nuts, orchids on food trays and Champagne or a mai tai in economy are a pleasant memory. Complimentary too!

Sourcing local products was a nice touch as well. See's candy in business out of California airports was always a favorite.

- Paul Brown, Santa Ana

Vegas fees? No thanks

I agree with the letter writer who decried Las Vegas fees ["Flee the Fees," March 12].

I also have stopped going to Las Vegas and other places because of the extra fees that are tacked on to your bill. Airline fees, hotel fees, and let's not forget the fees that some restaurants add to the bill.

Maybe, just maybe, the people of this country need to stop traveling for a week to send a message.

- Charles P. Martin, Los Angeles

::

It looks as though Las Vegas hotel owners are doing their best to keep visitors away instead of making them welcome.

With more money being spent on dining, shopping and entertainment and away from gambling, hotel people look as though they are trying to make up for the loss of gaming revenue by implementing every kind of extra fee possible.

If it ever gets to the point where casinos do away with the "comp drink" for their gamblers just to save money, as some casinos are now studying, the whole Vegas thing will probably come tumbling down, not unlike Humpty Dumpty.

Let's hope that all the new resort fees, parking fees and whatever fees do not escalate into something that will turn Vegas into the most expensive ghost town on the planet.

- Bill Spitalnick, Newport Beach

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel

Source: Remember the good old days when you didn't have to bring your own food on an airplane but instead got Champagne and macadamia nuts?

How Indian Airlines are changing the way we travel..

Travel and Aviation industry has witnessed a massive change in the behavior of a consumer in last one and a half decade.

Now travelling in a Airline is not a mere luxury anymore but a necessity.

Since the millennium, Aviation industry witnessed inception of budget Airlines which made the dream of travelling for a average Indian Middle Class individual possible.

This has not only helped with the growth in the number of flyers but also raised the ratio of domestic travel, which has seen a massive rise in Domestic travelers.

Airlines like Indigo, Spice-jet and Go air has made it possible for the consumers to take a airline instead of a train which helps in saving their travel time.

Premium Airlines like Air India, Jet Airways and our new child in the lot Vistara has made sure to offer better services at competing price with out compromising on services and food.

As a Travel-Junkie I am, I have traveled across India majorly also by some great Indian Airlines. This blog is totally my personal review on the 5 major Airlines I've traveled with and what differ them with the other.

My parameters to rate a Airline is based on 3 points- a) Operations & Punctuality-Flight departure & Arrival time, b) Services- based on the behavior of cabin crew, in-flight entertainment, smoothness of flight (if any turbulence, but Pilot can't help because its purely weather based), how clean the washroom is and cleanliness of the cab, c) Food quality (weather paid or if it's inclusive in the fare price).

Indigo

It won't be a big statement to say but undoubtedly Indigo is a leader of our domestic budget Airlines, the reason which urges me to believe so is they are the only Indian Airline which is in profits, rest all other Airline still struggle to work on recovering their losses. As a consumer if I say why Indigo is so beloved to me then it will be on the basis of these points-a) Their operations, which is by far flawless, it's very rare to experience a delay in flight (for a business traveler I am my time is very important to me) if I have a meeting in Mumbai then I want to finish my meeting in a days time and be back to Delhi by night. This is only possible if a flight which I'm taking has a track record of smooth operations, b) Services, Indigo's flight attendants are very professional and courteous which is rare sight to see in a economical Airline, as a known fact Indigo doesn't offer any in-flight entertainment but their 6E magazine & business magazines (if requested), cabin is usually clean with a fresh fragrance, washroom cleanliness is something which Indigo must work at, c) Food, it's not the most attractive part about Indigo, Indigo doesn't serve complete paid meal but finger items. If one is opting to take anything off the cart then one will either be served cold sandwiches, rolls or samosas, if one wish to experiment with hot meal then that's ready to eat meals of Upma, Dal Rice, noodles (this is the best option to opt for). In beverages they serve juices, aerated beverages, tea and coffee (my recommendation masala chai). What also make Indigo a success is their number of flights on single route from Delhi-Mumbai only one can find at-least 12 flights for the same day.

My over all experience with more then 10 flights I took with Indigo has been smooth.

Over All Rating- 4/5 Vistara

Vistara is a new (2 year old) child in the lot but with deep roots, great experience and strong leadership, a powerful association of Singapore Airlines & Tata. Vistara is a new addition to the premium airlines lot, also Vistara is the only domestic Airline which offers Premium Economy (for the people who are willing to pay more then economy but less then business) offers good amount of leg room. I got the opportunity to travel in their first flight from Delhi-Mumbai in January 2015, at that time I opted to travel in Economy Class, being the first flight consumer we received much personal services. Later for my friends wedding in Ahmadabad I again chose to take Vistara but Premium Economy this time, my travel experience with Vistara by far been the best in domestic Airline carrier's. As a consumer what really attracts me is their bright purple color ambiance which gives a sense of royalty. The reason why Vistara is sweeping the premium airlines are on the basis of these points-a) Operations, much like Indigo Vistara also learned from the mistakes of their competitors about how important it is to have a smooth operation. A consumer will not just on your smile but what would matter the most to them is how punctual your flight is. Vistara does satisfy me with this. Also Vistara is the only private Airline to offer a direct route flight from Delhi-Port Blair. With time Vistara is also extending their wings towards different routes. b) Services, when one is paying a little money extra then expecting a little more is natural. Vistara does satisfy one in this regard. Premium Economy has a separate check-in line, the moment you'll take your seat cabin crew will offer you wet towels and juice, cabins are brightly lit, clean and smells fresh, toilets are usually clean (also because Business Class & Premium Economy share same rest room), for in-flight entertainment Vistara offers their own weekly magazine but no screens (which is a draw -back), c) Food, which is the most attractive part about Vistara. In Premium Economy menu is much more varied and served in trays instead of boxes like in Economy, food quality is much loved by the pallet and wins our heart.

If Vistara continues at same pace, I am totally certain they will excel. My over all experience of 5 flights I took with Vistara has been satisfactory.

Over All Rating-4.5/5 Jet Airways

The inception of Jet Airways happened when their was a monopoly of Indian Airlines in domestic market. Jet Airways does managed to create the vibe of competition with Air India, many people started opting Jet Airways for most important reason "operation" this was the Airline which offered premium comfort at much competitive rate. My introduction with Jet Airways happened much later, my experience with Jet has been average. If I categories it will be based on these points-a) Operations, of all the flights I took with Jet the operations have been pretty smooth, there have been very rare times when I experience a delay in departure or arrival of my flight, b) Services, this is the average part of Jet. Don't know if the planes are old or the staff is lazy but this does affect with cleanliness and ambiance of the plane, check-in's are usually smooth, Restrooms are average. However the cabin-crew is attentive and warm, Jet does offer screen for En-flight entertainment but it usually doe sn't work (on domestic routes), like any other flight they offer a official magazine of Jet Airways which always included a interview of either a politician, entrepreneur or a entertainment celebrity, c) Food, in domestic routes one is usually served refreshments which is pretty average the food quality is good but it lacks in presentation. Jet does have scope for improvement in this particular criteria.

Jet Airways is one of it's kind private airline, however with time there have been compromises made by them on quality of their flights. Jet needs to understand innovation is the way to succeed and it can be done if they'll take their every flight as first. Of all my 6 flights I took from Jet I believe Jet will shine again.

Over All Rating-3.5/5 Air India

The first Airline of our country and our national carrier. With the word national carrier brings many expectation but Air India manages to excel in just few parameters, which is quite disappointing but alas. For me Air India is very special as this is the first flight I took for my first ever business trip. It's heartbreaking that like any other government organisation (which lacks in professionalism) Air India is also following their footsteps. It's true that Air India has the best Boeing carrier-Dream Liner but the maintenance of it is very disappointing. A 3 year old plane looks like 5 years old and the professionalism of Cabin Crew is quite questionable. Collective points of my experience with Air India are-a) Operation, there's a big flaw in the operations of Air India where a timely departure or arrival is a rare site to see. Also one thing which quite bothersome as a consumer for me is their sudden change of flight departure schedule without prior no tice, this does affect a day schedule of a person. Operation is one area where Air India really needs improvement, b) Services, as I've already mentioned Air India planes really needs a lot of care. The plane quality is above average but not the best, for en-flight entertainment some planes has on screen entertainment and few doesn't (in domestic)-which works as per the mood of cabin crew, Air India's official magazine is provided in the seat pocket, cabin ambiance is quite dull but manageable, restrooms are generally clean, cabin crew staff is average on both domestic and international flights (for instance after having one cup of tea one would be scared to ask for another, what if they scold you...only kidding), c) Food, it totally depends upon the route you take at times I had the most amazing food experience but also sometimes I've been served under done uncooked dahi kebab. I believe the food quality also depends on the mood of chef (sarcasm).

Air India is our proud but it's a shame that they are in losses. In order to get back to track Air India need to feel the gap of professionalism. Air India is mother of all domestic Airline and can anytime give the competitive airlines run for their money.

Over All Rating-3/5

 

Spice Jet

Spice Jet is the Airline which introduced the idea of budget Airlines in the market around early 2000. It's again special for me because Spice Jet it was my first flight ever, my introduction to sky more special because I was a student then and I won my tickets in a competition. So yes I have a soft corner for Spice Jet but my reviews are totally un-biased. The big reason why Spice Jet couldn't perform as successfully as Indigo because they started competing with the premium airlines instead focusing on their segment also because their less number of flights in single route. For instance from Delhi-Mumbai one can only find 6-7 flight which is a major drawback. Coming to my collective points on Spice Jet would be a) Operations, Spice Jet is so far quite smooth with their operations, even if the departure is late the Pilot put efforts to cover the time, b) Services, are again average in  Spice Jet as well, Spice Jet has leather seats which is easy to clean but looks dull to the ambiance of plane, the tray table and aisle usually looks clean, restrooms also looks in good condition, the major problem is with behavior of cabin crew staff which are not as courteous as their competitor Indigo, there's no en-flight entertainment but one can scroll around Spice Jet official magazine, in Spice Jet one can pay extra to get seats with more leg room (which is not very expensive), c) Food, forget everything else but the main reason Spice Jet want you to travel with them is because of their food (which also reflects in their new tag line-Red...Hot...Spicy) and yes the food is finger licking and served piping hot, one would definitely need to pay for it but it does worth it. 

Innovation is challenging but I'm certain Spice Jet will pass the test. All Spice Jet needs to do be champion of their own market and then try to conquer the other market segments as well. Of all the 8 flights I took with Spice Jet has been satisfactory.

Over All Rating-3.5/5  

Of all the domestic flights I've used for my trips my favorite in economical remains Indigo majorly because of their operations and Vistara in premium Airline category because of their overall features.

I have high hopes for Indian Aviation industry and can hope for great innovations in future as well, because I'm a loyal consumer.

Source: How Indian Airlines are changing the way we travel..

Which city has the world’s best street food scene? A look at the top five destinations for curbside bites

From crispy mussel pancakes in Bangkok, Thailand to freshly-baked simit (a circular bread sprinkled with sesame seeds) in Istanbul, Turkey, taking it to the streets is one of the best ways to get to know a city's food scene. CNN has named its top 23 cities in the world for street food, and for the second year running, Bangkok is tops.

No Canadian cities made this year's list but Vancouver, with its Japadogs and mobile tandoor, might just be a serious contender in the future.

Here's a look at the five best cities for street eats, according to CNN:

1. Bangkok, Thailand

You don't have to worry about seeking out street food in Bangkok – vendors operate regularly all over the city. Hit the city's Chinatown — a.k.a. Yarowat — for some of the city's best street food fare, CNN says.

2. Tokyo, Japan

Don't overlook the street food when visiting the Japanese capital. The city has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city on the planet, but taking in the street food scene is a more affordable, and no less delicious, option.

3. Honolulu, Hawaii

Poke, the fish salad that is taking Canada by storm, is as readily available here as sandwiches are in other American cities, CNN says. The Hawaiian capital also has a "thriving food truck scene," and multicultural street food offerings, but CNN recommends getting in your car. Head out to the North Shore's Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa for some real culinary action.

4. Durban, South Africa

The coastal city of Durban is known for its Zulu-, Indian- and colonial-influenced culture and cuisine. "The city is known for its curries, which over the generations have adapted to South African ingredients and tastes," CNN writes.

5. New Orleans, Louisiana

Local favourite Lucky Dogs was immortalized in John Kennedy Toole's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, A Confederacy of Dunces. Gas station-fare and Italian-American specialties such as muffuletta are must-tries, but as CNN writes: "More recent waves of migration have helped entrench taqueria trucks and pho noodles just as firmly into the city's street food scene."

See cnn.com for the full list.

Source: Which city has the world's best street food scene? A look at the top five destinations for curbside bites

Get Paid to Travel and Drink Beer

Beer lovers, forget your day job – here's your dream job. World of Beer is accepting applications for a "Drink It Intern," and they're willing to pay you to travel and drink beer.

Three lucky recruits will spend their summer searching out the best craft beer and food they can find. Interns will go to World of Beer locations across the country and even internationally to document great beer and great beer stories through blogging, video, photos and social media.

Applications are being accepted through March 26 on the World of Beer website. You'll need to fill out an application and submit a one-minute video highlighting your passion for beer, your brew knowledge, and your sparkling personality.

Candidates must be 21 years of age to apply (duh).

If you survive the first cut and make it to the second round of the application process, you'll go for an in-person interview on April 8th at one of these World of Beer locations around the country:

Henderson, NV

Ft Worth, TX

Tampa, FL

Greensboro, NC

Cambridge, MA

Columbus. OH

Gainesville, FL

Rockville, MD

St Paul, MN

Observers are welcome to come watch the interviews too, as applicants respond to questions from panelists and show of their beer knowledge and social media skills.

Want to do some research before you apply? Or maybe you just want to daydream about busting out of your cubicle and being a Drink It Intern? You can check out some the adventures of the 2016 Drink It Interns on the World of Beer website. From the "Burning Can" festival in North Carolina, to touring the Guinness Brewery in Ireland, to participating in an actual brew day at Dogfish Head – the stories are sure to whet your appetite for a road trip, an overseas flight, and of course a great beer.

Source: Get Paid to Travel and Drink Beer