Travel, pancakes and fashion

The end of February finds us thinking about how far we want to go for a deal. There are bargains for traveling the world, discounts in your neighborhood and sales at your fingertips. Here’s a few good finds to get you started.
                                         

BIG ASSORTMENT
Ban.do has marked down 12,000 items up to 75 percent. Shop for jewelry, like a trendy pair of large hoop tassel earrings, apparel, activewear, drinkware, tech, bags and more. The sale is Sunday, Feb. 25, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the ban.do store, 1110 N. Beachwood Drive, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles or online at www.bando.com.

SPRING CLEANING
LF Stores is holding its annual Winter Blow Out Sale to make room for warm weather wear. Women’s fall and winter merchandise, such as tops, bottoms, sweaters, dresses, coats, boots, shoes and more, are reduced 60 percent. Shop in store at locations in Beverly Hills, El Segundo, Laguna Beach, Larchmont, Marina Del Rey and Venice or go to www.lfstores.com.

WINTER WOWS
If the Olympics inspired you to hit the snow, Ski and Snowboard Outlet may be a good place to start shopping. Its stores boast a wide selection of outdoor snow apparel for men, women and children, plus new and used skis, snowboards and accessories. You can find brands like North Face, Ripcurl, Tactic, Roxy, Head and Nordica at savings from 30-80 percent. Ski and Snowboard Outlet is in San Gabriel and Santa Ana or visit online at www.skiandsnowlc.com.

SERVING SMILES
Visit your local IHOP 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, for one free short stack of original buttermilk pancakes and you’ll feel good twice. For every plate served, IHOP will make a donation to local children’s hospitals and health organizations with a goal of $5 million. You are invited to make a donation as well. Please note that the offer is dine-in only and no purchase is required. Hours may vary at some locations. Go to www.ihop.com.

Why You Should Travel Solo at Least Once

Booking a plane ticket for one might not seem like an obvious way to prepare for your next vacation — especially if you usually travel with a partner, family members or friends. But here’s what many solo traveling enthusiasts will tell you: It’s a first step toward an incredible, life-changing journey.
                                           

Traveling solo gives you the freedom to explore new places at your own pace and chase crazy-ambitious travel goals. Plus, you’ll get to know yourself — and unfamiliar parts of the world — on a whole new level. Here’s why you should try it at least once, from four prolific solo travelers.

You’ll be free to explore on short notice

When you’re in a group, planning a day out requires intense coordination and, often, a little persuasion. When you’re on your own, it’s a different story.

“When I travel by myself, I tend to have some key, big items I definitely want to do, and I keep everything else flexible, so if something comes up, I always have time to do it,” says Pauline Lim, a data analyst at Airbnb, based in San Francisco. So far, she’s visited 40 countries; after her next solo trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway, she’ll have visited 46.

You’ll have more chances to meet new people

Like Baron, Brittany Kulick quickly discovered that traveling solo gave her plenty of opportunities to get to know the folks around her.

“There’s something to be said for just really going after what you want, and doing something that’s exactly tailored to what you’re wanting to do at that moment,” says Kulick, founder of the travel and food blog The Sweet Wanderlust. “The greatest thing about solo travel is the people you meet, who are looking exactly for that same thing at that same time.”

Kulick has visited 54 countries and makes a living by doing freelance marketing, social media management and copywriting, as well as picking up temporary work. In 2015, she left Dallas to travel solo full-time.

Holiday travel up, could break a record

More than 107 million Americans are expected to travel from Saturday through Monday, Jan. 1 — a 3.1 percent increase from last year and the highest year-end travel volume on record, according to AAA projections.
                                         

The estimate, if accurate, would continue a year-over-year trend that has occurred for major holiday weekends in 2017 — Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, said Cindy Antrican, AAA public affairs manager.

This year marks the ninth consecutive year of rising year-end holiday travel. Since 2005, total year-end holiday travel volume has grown by 21.6 million, an increase of more than 25 percent. The majority of travelers - 97.4 million - will hit the road, a 3 percent year-over-year increase.

This December’s national average gasoline price is $2.47 per gallon (Dec. 1 to Dec. 13), which is 28 cents more than last December. AAA does expect the average to drop at least another five cents by year-end, saving motorists a few pennies at the pump.

Approximately 6.4 million will travel by air, a 4 percent increase and the fourth year of consecutive air travel volume increases. The increase comes as the Atlanta airport — one of the busiest airports in the world — recovers from a power outage that grounded all flights on Sunday.

Canceled flights at the Dayton International Airport included Delta Air Lines Flight 2337, supposed to leave at 6:33 p.m. and Delta Flight 1161, scheduled to depart at 2:18 p.m. for Atlanta, as well as Delta Flight 2337 from Atlanta to Dayton, scheduled to arrive at 5:53 p.m. according to the airport’s Flight Tracker.

Jay Ratliff, local aviation expert, said during the holidays airports are filled with travelers who only fly once or twice a year. That can cause delays through the security and boarding processes. He also advised that travelers make sure they have a seat assignment confirmation before arriving to the airport to ensure they won’t be put on standby. Airlines typically overbook flights.

Take the road less traveled with these European gems

Ski slopes without lift lines. Steaming thermal baths. Rich fireside meals. While most people flock to Europe in the summer, winter has its own charms — especially if you avoid the most popular destinations like France and Italy. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you’ll find: intricate architecture, alluring streets, free-flowing wine; in other words, everything you’d expect from Europe — but with fewer crowds and, in some cases, for half the price. This winter, here are three European destinations you should consider.
                                             

Start in the romantic city of Lisbon — and if you don’t mind hills, stay in the enchanting Alfama neighborhood, which has been inhabited since the fifth century.

Because of its relatively warm temperatures (in the 50s) and small crowds, Paula Oliveira, executive director of Turismo de Lisboa, calls winter “a perfect period to come for a short break.” She recommends visiting at Christmas or New Year’s, when you can sample specialty pastries and witness the city’s sparkling and festive city lights.

You could probably spend an entire week simply wandering Lisbon by foot or streetcar, but I recommend a food and wine walk with the tour group Inside Lisbon. On our three-hour excursion, we sampled pastel de nata and espresso, cheese and port, and bacalhau (salted cod) and green (referring to its age, not its color) wine, learning about the city’s culture and history with each bite. For more yummy eats, check out restaurant Ze da Mouraria and the Time Out Market.

When you’d like to escape the city, travel an hour northwest by train to Sintra. This small town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is filled with castles. Among the most notable are the National Palace of Pena, a colorful 19th-century building that looks like it’s straight out of a Disney movie; the Castle of the Moors, a hilltop fortress with gorgeous views of the surrounding valley; and the Quinta de Regaleira, a Gothic mansion with expansive gardens.