Wilton Library Technology Blog » Destinations

AAA Apps

mamfranco — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:06:30 +0000

Have you seen AAA’s TripTik Mobile app? It is great for finding the lowest gas price nearest to your location. This is just great for those summer excursions! This app also offers maps and turn-by-turn directions. It also shows AAA offices, approved auto repair facilities and local events. AAA Discounts will show you AAA discounts available near your current location. Happy driving and happy summer!

~mary anne
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It’s Summer!

mamfranco — Fri, 27 May 2011 18:57:20 +0000

It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer! Time to check out one of my favorite publications: 100 Things to Do from the Wilton Bulletin. There are so many wonderful things to do in this area! If you are looking for some great barbecue cookbooks to plan your summer entertaining, click here. Have a great weekend!

~mary anne
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How Do You Pick Your Vacation Destination?

mamfranco — Tue, 24 May 2011 20:19:42 +0000

It can be very difficult to choose a vacation destination. So many places, so little time. I watch travel shows, read books and magazines and yes, they are all wonderful. However, I have now added a new tool to my bag of tricks: YouTube!

I cannot believe there is a place in the world that hasn’t had a YouTube video done about it. The quality may or may not be great but you will get a view of possible destinations that you will not get from any other medium. My husband and I just returned from Corniglia, Italy, in the Cinque Terre. The town (along with the other towns in the area) is small, built into rocky cliffs and the best (and often only) way to get around is on foot. . . particularly up all the steps that have been trod over many, many centuries. People made YouTube videos of themselves carrying luggage up hundreds of steps and while these videos were funny, they taught me to pack lightly. For the first time in ages, I wore the correct shoes (yes, I left the heels home) and even got the best sense of what the acceptable fashion was in the area than I ever had for prior trips. Yes, we will be posting our pictures soon and will let you know where they are!

The best news was that all that exercise allowed for some extra pasta and gelato!

~mary anne
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Nine Years Ago Yesterday

mamfranco — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:44:12 +0000

I find it hard to believe that nine years have passed since the horror of September 11, 2001. I, like so many others, will always remember where I was that awful day. In today’s New York Times, there is an article by Ariel Kaminer describing an app for the iPhone called “Explore 9/11.” This app has been downloaded over 100,000 times and the review paints it as a thoughtful, unsensational app. What you get is a “guided tour around the perimeter of the World Trade Center site, narrated by the people who lived through it all.” There is nothing else to say.

~mary anne

Tennis Time!

mamfranco — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:37:17 +0000

It’s that time of the year again! The U.S. Open began yesterday and runs through September 12. Check these sites out for the latest information:

Staycation is Over But Weir Farm Was Great!

mamfranco — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:41:37 +0000

It’s back to work this week for me but I wanted to share our trip to Weir Farm with you! Weir Farm is the only National Park in Connecticut and it is just beautiful! The tour we took with our ranger (Allison) was tremendously informative and fun. This farm that belonged to painter J. Alden Weir is comprised of over 150 acres and is right in our own backyard. There are trails to explore and many programs–including Take Part in Art that allows you to “discover your inner artist while sketching en plein air.” There is also a wonderful Artist-In-Residence Program that “selects artists to spend one month living and working at the farm.” Each month, Wilton Library hosts an Exhibition/Reception for the Artist-in-Residence. Register for upcoming Exhibitions/Receptions: August 24: Annie Varnot, September 23: Diana Greene, and October 28: Andrew Jones. Enjoy the pictures my husband Michael took at Weir Farm during our visit!

~mary anne

Airlines Paying for Hotels and Meals When There Are Delays?

mamfranco — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:40:43 +0000

I remember the days when flight delays meant meal vouchers and/or free nights in hotels. That was a long time ago. In Europe, however, the 2004 EC 261 law “requires airlines to pay penalties of up to 600 euros, or about $750, when the problem is the carrier’s fault, and cover hotel rooms and meals even when it is not.” That doesn’t seem to do most of us any good unless you fly on a European Union airline within the European Union. Here’s a well-kept secret: EC 261 “applies to all flights departing from the European Union, regardless of the passengers’ nationality.” If you are returning home from the EU on an American carrier, the law applies to you. While it may be difficult to navigate the collection process under EC 261, as more people become aware of the rule, it may become easier. Full details are in Susan Stellin’s article in The New York Times. Click here for information on EC 261 on the British Airways site.

Alternative Accommodations

mamfranco — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:51:35 +0000

It’s summer and time to travel. Although I love hotels so much (luxury is terrific), there are often less expensive alternatives that offer more in different ways. Renting a room or an apartment gives the traveler a different perspective on a destination, one can truly feel as though they are part of a city or town. Europe Without Hotels by Benji Lanyado in The New York Times describes a number of sites to rent rooms or apartments. I’d also like to add the site HomeAway.com, a site I used to rent a wonderful apartment in Verona, Italy. For many of us, finding accommodations this way can be a real leap of faith (it was for me). My experience was wonderful but it’s important to do your homework. Happy traveling!

~mary anne

Feed the Mind, Feed the Soul

mamfranco — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:32:47 +0000

My love of technology is equaled perhaps by my love of food! After all, how can you feed the mind without feeding the body and the soul? This article in The New York Times by Matt Gross is just what the doctor ordered: Italian food in the homes of Italians in one of the world’s most beautiful countries. Through the Home Food website, you can join for a modest fee (less than $5) and search the listings for a meal that appeals. It seems to be a great opportunity to visit small towns that might not be on your radar and it sounds like an idea that should be implemented in other countries. It’s funny how I think of food when I think of past travels. . . The wonderful smell of lamb grilling in Greece, beans slowly cooking over a fire in Egypt. . . It’s time to break out my cookbooks!

~mary anne

Entertainment!

mamfranco — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:49:54 +0000

I love Broadway and it is so nice to peruse the offerings on playbill.com. You can check out what’s playing on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in London. Free membership gives you access to discounted theatre tickets, restaurant offers, and merchandise. Playbill.com lists performance schedules, ticket prices, show run times, theatre information, advisories, synopsis, and more.

For more local entertainment, check out moviefone.com. Easy to use to fine theatres, titles and sometimes purchase tickets. There is a coming soon section and a new DVD release section.

Thanks to Kathy Leeds for these great suggestions!