Category: Celebrate Michigan
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 3:03 PMJoin the fray at a post-Thanksgiving midnight PJ party in Birch Run
If you're tired of the same old mall action and are too excited to sleep once the turkey and dishes are put away, throw on your jammies and head to the Prime Outlets at Birch Run on Thanskgiving night for a Midnight Madness Pajama Jam.
Frugal fashionistas will be lining up before midnight Thursday to be among the first 500, pajama-clad guests (over age 16) waiting for the doors to open at the Guest Services Center in Section F. They're promised a free gift bag that includes a special edition Jockey ladies' sleep shirt,while supplies last.
Some lucky shoppers may also find a Prime Outlets gift card tucked away in their gift bag. Meanwhile, special promotions are planned throughout the night -- and weekend -- at the sprawling outlet center.
Check out the offers here
Since the official Prime Outlets' pajama party ends at 8 a.m., you'll have all day Friday to browse the holiday-festooned shops in nearby Frankenmuth, including the behemoth Bronner's Christmas store.
Then, if you've any energy left, you can make your way back to Metro Detroit for what's left of all those touted "Black Friday" shopping discounts.
Me? I'm going to be home this year, sleeping late, feasting on all those lovely leftovers and planning my next trip out of town.
Category: Air Travel
Posted by Nathan Hurst (The Detroit News) on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 12:15 PMConnecting through enemy territory
Yesterday's announcement that Continental Airlines would be moving to the North Terminal got me thinking: just how many people connect at "enemy hubs" anyway?
According to the folks at Detroit Metro Airport, not many. While a lot of the Delta/Northwest passengers in Detroit are connecting from one flight to another, most of the travelers using other carriers in Detroit are starting or ending their trips here.
But a few don't. And if you're looking for low fares, a slightly bizarre routing that's not through an airport's main hub -- or perhaps that of a major competitor -- could save you big bucks.
I love going to Europe, for example, and while Detroit is lucky to have direct connections to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and (in the summer, at least) Rome, it's many times cheaper to take a Delta/Northwest flight to, say, Toronto or Montreal (both Air Canada hubs) and fly from there on a Delta/Northwest/KLM operated flight to, say, Amsterdam. The savings can be significant, in the range of hundreds of dollars in some cases.
A friend of mine has also been able to save hundreds flying to Minneapolis/St. Paul by connecting via a Delta flight to Chicago and then another onto MSP, even though there are many direct flights from Detroit to the Twin Cities everyday. The interesting part: Delta and Northwest have a pretty small presence in Chicago, where competitors United and American both run hub operations.
The risk, of course, is that you'll be connecting in a place where the airline isn't usually connecting passengers. And in some cases, you might have to change terminals which can result in awkwardly long walks or waits for shuttles, plus the hassle of going through security again. If you do go that route, check sites like this one for help navigating the facilities.
Category: Air Travel
Posted by Nathan Hurst (The Detroit News) on Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 11:04 AMContinental and United up elite perks
Continental Airlines and new Star Alliance partner United Airlines announced Monday they'll be offering better benefits for their elite members.
For one, the two airlines, now partners under the Star Alliance since Continental left SkyTeam (with Delta and Northwest) last month, will start offering unlimited complimentary upgrades for each others' elite customers beginning in the second quarter of 2010.
And United is really ratcheting it up for its top-tier fliers: they'll also be able to get free upgrades to Hawaii (Delta and others specifically exclude Hawaii from free upgrade programs). Some will even qualify for unlimited free international upgrades.
That's a big change for United, which currently has one of the toughest upgrade systems for elites, requiring 500-mile certificats for most bump-ups.
All of the details for the new programs are here for Continental and here for United.
Category: Air Travel
Posted by Nathan Hurst (The Detroit News) on Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 2:19 PMWhat to do when your SkyMiles go missing
To be honest, I was kinda surprised when it happened: my precious Delta SkyMiles had gone missing.
It was the first time since entering the too-much-flying-for-my-own-good club in 2007 that my miles hadn't materialized following a trip. After a family jaunt to Spain last month, only the outbound half of my miles showed up on my account. The return half, from Barcelona to Detroit via Paris, were nowhere to be found.
It's actually pretty easy to get your miles back, but the links to find help aren't that easy to find. For all you Delta/Northwest SkyMiles members, you'll want to go here to find the online form that'll get you the credit you deserve. There's also a link back to the old Northwest form for any pre-merger credit you might be missing.
When you submit the form, you'll get an e-mail confirming its receipt. The message I got late last week indicated there could be a backup and a slowdown taking seven to eight business days, but today, I got notification that everything had been updated. They even remembered to add my bonus for being a Gold Medallion level frequent flier.
There are a couple of nuances to requesting certain kinds of credit, including those owed from a flight on a partner airline like Air France/KLM or CSA Czech. You'll find those rules here.
No confirmation on this, but I think the mistake might have been because my ticket was booked with my pre-merger Northwest WorldPerks number, and Delta was in the middle of combining the WorldPerks and SkyMiles systems in October, right as I was on vacation.
Just another good reason to make sure everything's all merged with your two accounts. All the merging details are here.
Category: Celebrate Michigan
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 6:13 PMVisit a local tree farm for a fresh, eco-friendly Christmas
With all the talk of environmentally friendly and green initiatives, this is shaping up as a fresh tree kind of holiday season.
One idea to tuck away for an outing in coming weeks is Addison-Oaks Christmas Tree Farm, 355 Lake George Road, Oakland Township.
Owned and managed by Frank and Cathy Rimi, the 20-acre, eco-friendly farm, about six miles north of Rochester, offers 11 organically grown varieties of Christmas trees, ranging in size from 2 to 15 feet tall.
Besides providing tree cleaning and wrapping, restrooms, centralized parking and a gift shop, the farm offers a warm-up area with hot drinks and snacks on weekends and free candy canes for every child.
"Many of our trees are identified as 'Michigan SNOWFRESH' (i.e., USDA Grade #1 or better)," Rimi said. "These trees are first quality, hand sheared and never painted or sprayed with harmful chemicals."
There's also a Wreath Shop where Cathy Rimi creates wreaths and garlands in various sizes.
Families can visit the farm ahead of time and tag your special tree any time before opening day, Nov. 21. Who knows, you might even spot a deer.
For more information, check www.addisonoakstrees.com. Or find more tree farms in Michigan.
Category: Holiday haunts
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 6:29 PMBay City offers old-fashioned fun and shopping deals at 'Sundays in the City'
If you get cabin fever this season and feel like going for a drive, my antique-hunting friends are raving about Bay City as a great place to treasure hunt in the old-fashioned downtown.
From Nov. 15 through Dec. 20, it's hosting "Sundays in the City," with special holiday activities including:
* Free horsedrawn carriage rides; pick-up is from noon to 3 p.m. in front of the State Theatre, 913 Washington Ave.
* Strolling musicians and carolers perform on the streets from noon to 2 p.m. This year's musical entertainment includes the Tri City Chorus of the Sweet Adelines and other area entertainers.
* Santa Buck: With this special certificate, holiday shoppers will receive $5 off regularly priced items each Sunday at 29 businesses --- up to $145.
* Festival of Wreaths. Downtown visitors can enter to win one of many specially decorated wreaths located at each participating business.
* Sleigh of Gifts: One shopper will win all the gifts donated by participating downtown businesses, valued at more than $2,000. The sleigh will be on display at Herter Music Center, 901 Washington Avenue.
* Holiday movies at the State Theatre, showing at 2 p.m.
For more information, call (989) 893-3573 or check here .
Category: United States
Posted by Greg Tasker (The Detroit News) on Fri, Oct 30, 2009 at 12:24 PMGhostly fun in Gettysburg
Few places in the U.S. inspire as many ghostly tales as Gettysburg, Pa., where thousands of men in gray and blue were killed in one of the fiercest battles of the Civil War.
Apparitions have been spotted all over the battlefield and in countless homes and inns in this central Pennsylvania hamlet. Ghost tours are big business this time of year.
One of the most noteworthy haunted inns is the Farnsworth House Inn, where Rebel sharpshooters secured a strategic attic post during the three-day battle. Some believe the sharpshooters may have been responsible for the only civilian death during the battle. A young woman who lived down the road was killed by a stray bullet while making bread in her kitchen.
Spend a night at the Farnsworth House, a brick structure built in 1833, and see if you don't get spooked. You'll hear weird noises, for sure, and even feel an odd presence here day or night. But the Farnsworth also is a good stopover during a tour of Gettysburg. The dining room serves Civil War era fare ... game pie, spoon bread and sweet potato pudding are not to be missed.
Its tavern at the rear of the building is a favorite with re-enactors. During the filming of "Gettysburg," the actors and crew hung out here. Lots of memorablia from the movie is on display.
Ghosts or no ghosts, the Farnsworth House is great staging area for a visit to Gettysburg, and adds to the experience of exploring a Civil War battlefield.
Check out Farnsworth House Inn.
Category: Celebrate Michigan
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 5:12 PMPick a pile of pumpkins at Dexter farm pumpkin patch
What a find! My husband and I were out in Dexter recently for one of our daughter's cross country meets and decided to take a ride afterward along Washtenaw County's scenic country roads ablaze with fall color.
Coincidentally, we happened upon Jenny's Farm Market and decided we had to stop --- because our daughter's name is Jenny.
Frankly, our first impression of the place wasn't great because where we parked, in the lot out back, took us right past the pony ride area, where the sweet scent of fall leaves and apples was eclipsed by the heavy smell of pony pasture, if you get my drift.
The cider and apples we bought inside were fine, but we didn't hang around the busy market for long. Happily, the front view of the place, which we saw as we left, was much more appealing than the back forty.
Our second stop was a whole 'nother story. It was late on a Saturday afternoon when we found Berry Hill Farm, 12835 N. Territorial Road, and we had it almost to ourselves -- except for the baby pictured here and a few other families.
We spent nearly an hour walking through the sprawling pumpkin fields, past the raspberry bushes, trying to pick the perfect pumpkin. It was almost like buying a new car as we "kicked the tires," tested their heft and examined the amusing array of shapes and colors. Eventually, we ended up with three that we lifted into our iron wagon and carted back to the farmer's weigh station. At a reasonable 25 cents per ounce, we bought a trio of great pumpkins for under $8. We also got some exercise -- and rare bonding time -- in Michigan's lovely outdoors.
Call (734) 475-1516 for directions or other information about Berry Hill Farm.
Category: Celebrate Michigan
Posted by Greg Tasker (The Detroit News) on Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 11:00 AMFinding Up North close to home
Believe it or not, a few places in southeast Michigan offer outdoor enthusiasts an Up North experience ... as much as that's possible in a sprawling metropolitan area.
One of those is the north unit of the Bald Mountain Recreation Area in northern Oakland County. Several miles of trails criss-cross woods thick with maples and oaks, edge along wetlands and snake between lakes. These trails offer a chance to take long treks through woods with few, if any, modern intrusions. The park is home to some of the hilliest terrain in southeast Michigan and hikers will encounter more than a few steep slopes here.
For the most part, the trails there are well-marked, but there are few spots where sign posts have been moved or are missing maps. Stop by the park headquarters on Greenshield Road before you head out.
For more park information, visit Bald Mountain Recreation Area site.
Category: Sports
Posted by Susan R. Pollack (The Detroit News) on Thu, Oct 22, 2009 at 1:06 PMFollow Detroit Red Wings to Toronto and Hockey Hall of Fame festivities
For Detroit hockey fans, Toronto is the place to be Nov. 6-9 when the city's Hockey Hall of Fame honors legendary former Detroit Red Wings Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille and Steve Yzerman.
The trio, along with Brian Leetch and Lou Lamoriello, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame museum, and the induction weekend activities include a
* "Meet the Detroit Red Wings" free team autograph signing
* A Hockey Hall of Fame game at Air Canada Centre between the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs
* A "Legends Classic" hockey game between Canadian and World hockey legends
* The Induction Ceremony Gala . Check here for ticket information . Weekend hotel packages start at $99 Canadian per night at www.SeeTorontoNow.com (check here)
Through Jan. 15, the Hockey Hall of Fame features the first North American showing of a comprehensive collection of Olympic Medals --- 137 from 46 Olympic Games dating back to 1896.
Even without tickets to the Induction weekend games, Red Wings fans may catch the hockey action at the city's top sports restaurant and bars, recommended by Toronto tourism representatives:
* Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant: This upscale sports bar and restaurant doubles as a museum-like tribute to number 99, Canada's living hockey legend. www.gretzkys.com
* Harbour Sports Grille: With more than 50 TVs and two big screens, this sports bar is a magnet for ardent Toronto sports fans. www.harboursportsgrille.com
* Loose Moose Tap & Grill: Located steps away from Air Canada Centre, the Loose Moose is always packed on hockey night. www.theloosemoose.ca
* Shoeless Joes, Harbourfront: This sports-themed, casual dining restaurant is located on Toronto's waterfront. www.shoelessjoes.ca
* The Bottom Line Restaurant & Bar: Steps away from the Hockey Hall of Fame and Air Canada Centre, this bar is ground zero for downtown sports action. www.bottomlinerestaurant.com
* Grace O'Malley's Restaurant and Bar: Serves up globally-influence pub fare and offers visitors a chance to experience the Canadian obsession with hockey. www.gracies.ca
* Irish Embassy Pub & Grill: Catch the game on four plasma screens in an imposing 19th-century bank building located in Toronto's central finance district. www.irishembassypub.com
* Madison Avenue Pub: Locally referred to as 'The Maddy', this iconic Toronto pub is the latest spot to catch the game with a spectacular new sports lounge. www.madisonavenuepub.com
* The Foxes Den Bar and Grill: Tucked in among high-end boutiques, museums and galleries, this spot caters to Toronto's more laidback sports fans. www.foxesdenbar.com
* The Keating Channel Pub & Grill: Take in the game on the pub's giant screen satellite system; www.keatingchannelpub.com
