Jaunted - JET

Manchester: Fall Bailout Travel: Americans Own a Soccer Team Now; Why Not See It?

egw — 2008-10-06T11:30:39-05:00

Hey, remember a few weeks ago when you bought a British football team? No, you weren't drunk at the time, but when the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve board voted to bail out insurance giant AIG, it effectively bought a piece of Manchester United, the popular club AIG paid �56.5 million ($99 million) to sponsor in 2006. Finally, a reason for Americans to care about soccer!

But seriously: If you're in a footie-playing country, a game is a great way to experience life as a local. You may not recognize all the songs whistling past your ears towards the players (nor the colorful language) but you're in for a great game.

This month, Man U takes on West Brom and West Ham United at home and Everton away; British readers, any tips for Americans enjoying their first game ever?

Related Stories:
· US Government Announces AIG Bailout [CBC.ca]
· AIG Still Sponsoring Manchester United [Yorkblog]
· Manchester Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: tunis marsh]

New York: The Sneaker-Restaurant Trend Marches On

BS — 2008-10-06T11:00:40-05:00

Two is a trend when it's this random. What's up with faux-restaurant sneaker shops? First, Philly starts selling sneakers from an undercover Chinese joint, and now New York's latest sneaker shop is disguised as a soul food counter.

At SoleFood NYC, you can check out rare Nikes or bring in your own sneaks to be customized by local graffiti artists. The sneakers are stored in deli-style display cases, and you can try them on while hanging out at diner-style booths.

SoleFood NYC does one-up the Philly joint: On Sundays, they even operate as a bit of a real restaurant, too. You can take your new kicks home along with a takeout container full of collard greens, candied yams, and other soul food goodies.

Related Stories:
· SoleFood NYC [Official Site]
· Secret Sneaker Shopping: The New Speakeasy [Jaunted]
· Sneakers coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Jonathan Sloan]

Washington, DC: Marketing Stunt Travel: JetBlue's New Dulles Sale

BS — 2008-10-06T10:00:44-05:00

JetBlue continues to lead the pack in original ways to convince recession-era passengers to spending their last couple dollars on a flight. First it was eBay ticket auctions; now it's a ticket sale-slash-happy hour for DC-area travelers.

The catch--and it's a big one--is that you have to trek out to Northern Virginia for an afternoon to see what fares are being offered. And of course you have to fly from Dulles. But if you're in desperate need of a last-minute fall Florida trip, it might be worth the time.

Mexico City: Crime Travel: Give This Mexico Clothing Boutique a Shot

ced138 — 2008-10-06T10:00:40-05:00

Mexico City likes to break records. The world's largest city is also one of Mexico's wealthiest and one of its most dangerous. After a dip in crime in the early 2000s, misdeeds are back en vogue. Now, the market is responding, with a bulletproof clothing boutique cropping up in Polanco, the Rodeo Drive of the DF.

The store, called Miguel Caballero, takes its name from its Colombian owner. Bulletproof items there range from leather jackets to polo shirts, parkas and white ruffled tuxedo shirts. But before you apply for a sales position, be forewarned:

Oak Creek: Midwest Death Watch: This Is What a Struggling Airline Looks Like

egw — 2008-10-06T09:50:39-05:00

This Friday-night flight to Milwaukee boasted just five passengers, leaving plenty of leg room and plenty of cookies, but also a new wealth of worries for the struggling Wisconsin carrier.

When we asked a gate attendant why there were so few people waiting in the terminal to depart, she said, "Well, because it's so late." This was at 8:30 pm, though, admittedly, right around last call at the airport bar.

Our flight wasn't one of the newly outsourced routes officially taken over Wednesday by Republic Airlines, and potential Midwest passengers may well be scared by the subcontractor. Republic is more like an octopus of regional operations, a former subsidiary of Frontier which currently flies for Midwest as Midwest Connect (to New York-LaGuardia, Denver and Washington-Reagan among others) and for US Airways as US Airways Express. On the bright side, they're hiring!

Jetstar's Weekend: When Delays Suddenly Look Good

amandak — 2008-10-06T09:30:40-05:00

Aussie low-cost carrier Jetstar had a bad weekend: A power surge at a telecommunications exchange meant that the airline's check-in system went down and delays were all around.

Worse, at some airports where there are strict night curfews, like Sydney, flights had to be canceled--about 10 departures in all.

Delays and cancellations are bad, but they're common enough that we're able to ignore them. But what we can't ignore is another Jetstar flight that had to turn back to Darwin after take-off because one of the passengers was bleeding. The cause of the bleeding? He'd attacked himself with a toothbrush.

We're not sure if turning his toothbrush into a weapon to use on himself was simply a demonstration against the Jetstarve flight quality but we should mention that mental health authorities are now taking care of him.

Related Stories:
· Jetstar Computer Glitch, Flights Canceled [news.com.au]
· Passenger Stabs Himself with Toothbrush [Northern Territory News]
· First Person Flight Review: Jetstar Melbourne to Perth [Jaunted]

[Photo: This Year's Love]

Atlanta: Hollywood, Meet Tylerwood: Black Celebrities Fete Atlanta Movie Studio

egw — 2008-10-06T09:15:39-05:00

Time to give Tyler Perry his due: After continually stealing number one at the box office, nudging his show "House of Payne" into syndication and continuing to adapt his original plays into movie gold, Perry put the cash together to open up his very own movie studio.

Friends like Oprah and Sidney Poitier celebrated the opening of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia (in a former airline reservations center, no less!) at a Saturday party. Will Smith brought his smiling face and Perry ensemble player Cicely Tyson brought a date to hear Patti LaBelle perform.

Of course, as with any huge party, there were crashers: Writers Guild representatives claim Perry fired four writers from "House of Payne" for participating in WGA activities. Perry's studio may be bright and shiny, but his show is one of the only scripted productions without a union presence.

Related Stories:
· Tyler Perry Makes History With Movie Studio [Faded Youth Blog]
· WGA Vs. Tyler Perry Productions Continued [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Young, Black and Fabulous]