On Our Radar: The New Ritz-Carlton Credit Card

Today Ritz-Carlton and J.P.Morgan launched the first Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card. It comes with special member rewards like three annual upgrades to a Club Level Room, and we love Club service! It also gives you access to airport lounges and you can earn rewards towards free dining and spa treatments. There's also no foreign transaction fee if you're a frequent international Jet Set Girl.

Travel Tuesday Links

Are you still wearing jean shorts and a plain white T to the beach? Time to upgrade to one of these cute new cover ups. (Barneys)

Find out Rachel Roy's favorite things for June including her playlist and must-have conditioner. (Rachel Roy)

Looking for adventure? Honduras is the new Costa Rica. (Washington Post)

What was named as the best beach in the U.S.? (San Francisco Chronicle)

Southwest Airlines is turning 40 and could celebrate with great fares. (Seattle Times)

On Our Radar: Hotel Plaza Athénée

The French Open has given us a fever for Paris again and we're sure a few lucky readers will be there this summer. The most fortunate of you will get to stay at the Plaza Athénée. Last fall we stopped by the iconic hotel to see the redesigned lobby and learn how you can truly eat, stay and play there.

Located on the fashionable Avenue Montaigne, the Plaza Athénée is a gem, worthy of its guest spot on Sex and the City. The Plaza puts you steps from the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, serious designer shopping, and much more. Here's how we see a perfect day in Paris:

Arrive at Charles De Gaulle airport from your overnight flight and head to Hotel Plaza Athénée. Check in early and sit down outside at Le Terrasse Montaigne for a croissant and some coffee. Soak up a few rays at the sidewalk café (good for your jet lag) and watch the fashionistas strolling down one of the city's most beautiful streets with their bags from the Chanel, Céline, and Prada stores nearby.

Make an appointment at the gorgeous Spa Dior Institut for a rejuvenating facial to combat the drying effects of the in-flight air. Afterwards head up to your room for a quick disco nap and get ready for drinks and dinner downstairs.

The rooms at the Plaza Athénée are decorated in either classic Louis XVI style or Art Deco which we preferred. The ultimate room in the Plaza is the Terrace Eiffel Suite which has floor to ceiling windows that look out at the Eiffel Tower from the grand living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Wait til see it light up at night! This room is the ultimate girls' getaway destination.

Head downstairs to Le Bar du Plaza Athénée for a couple of creative cocktails like the delicious black mojito and small bites like the sushi colada pictured above. Don't let its benign looks fool you- this treat packed a serious alcohol kick. Take the time to check out your neighbors for Parisian people watching at its finest. At 10:00 the otherwise blue bar turns red with lighting and eludes an even sexier vibe than before. We'll go back to Le Bar, whether as a guest of the hotel or not.

You have a few options for dinner. The night we were there we ate at Le Relais Plaza. The foie gras ruined us for any other, as it was as rich and decadent as one can imagine. Also of note were the wine selection, the potato soup, the fish, the cheese plate and the warm bread.

If we've tempted you, the Plaza Athénée is currently offering summer specials in August. Have you been a guest there? We'd love your comments below.

SFO's Gourmet Offerings

There's more reason to love San Francisco's redesigned Terminal Two, new home of American Airlines and Virgin America: the tasty fare you can grab for your flight. SFO searched out local producers and focused on healthy and sustainable food choices. You can't go wrong whether you stop by Napa Farms Market and pick up a wedge of triple-creme cheese from Cowgirl Creamery (our favorite!) or a fancy sandwich from The Plant Café Organic. There's also a wine bar and two cafés by celeb chefs Tyler Florence and Cat Cora. Don't forget to stop by the hydration station to fill up your water bottle:

If you're not rushing to the gate (that's about half of you, right?), look up and enjoy the art. Here's Topograph from Kendall Buster of Richmond, Va. in the entrance lobby.

On Our Radar: San Diego

San Diego has been on our minds lately, probably because we endured a particularly long winter and San Diego has perfect weather. But also because the BlogHer conference will be there in August, and even though we didn’t get much out of the last one we went to, it gives us an excuse to visit San Diego.

Feeling like a visit yourself? Start in the Gaslamp Quarter where hundreds of restaurants, bars and shopping boutiques will keep you busy. We’d like to stay at the Kimpton’s Hotel Solamar. It’s just a stone’s throw from Petco Park if you want to catch a baseball game (where the boys are!). Hotel Solamar also boasts a beautiful rooftop pool, which turns to into the club LoungeSix at night (pictured above). It’s great to have a nightspot built into your hotel so the early-to-bed crew can head back to the room safely while the rest of you keep dancing.

Back in the Gaslamp Quarter, don’t miss Top Chef finalist Brian Malarkey’s new restaurant, Searsucker. Its décor is eclectic and its food imaginative like farm bird lollipops coated in Bloody Mary mix and spicy Baja shrimp with bacon grits. Drink a Peter Rabbit with Pimms #1, bruised basil, pressed lemon and pickled carrot or a Lullaby with white whiskey, St. Germain, Chamomile Bitter and rose geranium. You can’t go wrong with either!

Photo credit Richard Wood: Flickr Creative Commons

No visit to San Diego would be complete without some time at the beach, so head to Coronado beach (above) or Encinitas' Moonlight beach or, better yet, ask that cute surfer dude where he’ll be. Happy travels!

Travel Tuesday Links

Photo courtesy Craig F. Walker Denver Post file 

Looking for something other than a beach trip this summer? Check out Colorado's summer getaways from the Denver Post.

For the best of Vegas by daytime, check in with USA Today.

Do you travel regardless of State Department travel warnings? Learn about others who do the same from Seattle Times.

New rules in Cuba encourage a comeback for Cuban food in Havana. We'd love to hop over and test these out!

Hey Midwesterners, check out all the summer festivals near you from the Chicago Tribune.

American Happy Hour

American Airlines brought back its 5@5 promotion where cocktails and beer are $5 on flights leaving from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. The $2 discount on liquor and $1 discount on beer was popular when American did this last December, so they decided to bring it back. Select flights will have special margaritas all month as well in honor of last week's Cinco de Mayo. Would happy hour on a flight boost your spirits? We'd take the bait!

Memorial Day Getaway Ideas #5-- Sea Island, Ga.

If Vegas sounds overwhelming and you're looking for a more relaxing vacay for Memorial Day weekend, consider Sea Island, Ga. It's easy to get to, especially from the East Coast by flying into Jacksonville and renting a car for the quick hour or so drive to Georgia. The wide avenues and Spanish moss hanging from the banyan trees will put you in that laid back Southern mood right away.

We'd recommend a stay at the Cloister where guests are encouraged to "do everything or nothing at all." Perfect! If you can gather a larger group of girlfriends, consider renting one of the two or three bedroom villas which have spacious living rooms and kitchens.

When you're there don't miss the Cloister Spa, which is in our top-five most lux spas we've ever visited and we're not alone: Forbes, Mobil and SpaFinder have all ranked very high. It has a curving stream which winds through the huge 65,000 square foot facility.

There are five restaurants on the property and shopping nearby. We'd be lounging by the pool or walking on the beach; but there are also golf courses everywhere, if you're ready to hit some balls. You can expect great weather in Georgia this time of year, so enjoy!

Summer Travel Trends

The Bing Travel Fareology Team just released its study of summer travel trends. Unless you've been hiding out, you know fuel prices are sky high and climbing which doesn't serve any of us travelers well. With airfare prices rising 15% and hotels 7%, we need to find creative ways to beat the heat. Here are some helpful tips for jetsetgirls when you're planning your summer getaway:

Off-Peak Dates Save You Money: The cheapest week to travel this summer is May 30 to June 5, with domestic airfare averaging $518 for a round trip ticket, and the most expensive week is June 27 to July 3, averaging about $595.

Travel Away From the Crowds: Among the cheapest destinations is Orlando, with average airfare coming in at $300 and average hotel prices at $107. There are also deals to be had on flights to Boston, which average $307 and Denver which average $316.

Vegas, Baby: Another good option is Las Vegas, with some of the lowest rates ($100) on three-star accommodations. Flights from Dallas to Las Vegas have actually decreased (-39%) and flights from LA can be found for $132.

Miami ($158) and San Diego ($181) also have cheaper three-star hotel options which can help offset the flight costs to those cities, which are up 11-12%.

Three-star hotels in Cancun, Mexico are actually a few percentage points down this year compared to last summer, with three star hotels averaging $145. Flights to Cancun are also cheaper this year from certain airports; Boston ($468), Dallas ($459), Chicago ($421).


Read the full report here. 

Image courtesy of http://wallpapers.free-review.net

The Michelin Red Guide and More Great Paris Reads

Michelin has published its 100th guide on France. This hefty tome, full of the best hotels and restaurants in France, is a necessary reference if you're headed on a dream trip any time soon. For our trip to Paris last fall, we borrowed stacks of books from the library beforehand. Planning a big trip is almost as much fun as being there. Whether you're a Lonely Planet kind of traveler or a Frommer/Fodor's girl, it's helpful to scan through a bunch of books to find all a city has to offer.

Looking for some fun inspiration? We've read a couple of great Paris centered historical fiction books lately: A Paris Wife by Paula McLain tells the story of Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's first wife and their years in Paris, and Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran which gives an insider's look into the French Revolution. It does a great job of bringing to life historical figures like Marie Antoinette, Thomas Jefferson, and Robespierre. Happy travels!

What to Wear on Vacation

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

We caught this clip from Kathie Lee and Hoda on the Today Show just in time as we're packing for our trip to Miami tomorrow! The segment features Elle Style Director Joe Zee and his picks for what to wear on vacation. While his fashions are for a more mature JSG, we think the first outfit is perfect for a plane ride to a tropical destination and we love his point about taking lots of accessories (but not shoes!) since they're easy to pack and make a plain outfit special.

Travel Tuesday Links

Looking for some late-night life? (NYMag) The Trilby at the Cooper Square Hotel pictured above.

Fashion gives back to Japan. (InStyle)

Learn how one Paris Perfumer is helping Japanese relief effort at Travel + Leisure.

See how rising oil prices will effect your travel plans. (Seattle Times)

Explore Japanese landmarks and culture in Hawaii with the San Francisco Chronicle.

Travel Tuesday Links

Need a vacation? Enter to win a trip to the Palazzo Las Vegas (Glamour)

East coasters and midwesterners take note: here's how to order an In-N-Out burger like a regular. (A Hamburger Today)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Budget Travel readers share their favorite photos of Ireland. (Budget Travel).

Thinking about opting out of a full body scan at the airport? Find out what happens next. (Wanderlust and Lipstick)

Foodies fare well in Sante Fe! (Boston Herald)

This is for all you droolers out there: Cailin tells us how to look attractive while sleeping on a plane. (Cailin Travels)

Tickets on sale today for the 2012 Olympics in London. Learn about the process. Hint: it's not on a first-come, first-serve basis... (CNN)

Travel Survival Kit

Here's a little something that should be in everyone's carry on: the Ms. and Mrs. Minimergency Travel Kit. It has all those little things you're likely to need—and just as likely to forget to pack. It contains: Hairspray, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, emery board, lip balm, earring backs, clear elastics, sewing kit, double-sided tape, stain remover, deodorant towelette, pain reliever, tampon, breath freshener, dental floss, and adhesive bandages. Plus it all comes in an adorable metallic pouch.

The Mr. and Mrs. Minimergency Travel Kit is $12. Available on MsandMrs.com.

Get Dressed With the Help of an App

Now that we finally have our Verizon iPhone, we're on the hunt for the best travel apps. One we love it the Wearcast App. You punch in your location or destination and the app gives you customized outfits for that day's weather and four days ahead. You can even let it know how sensitive to cold you are. The Wearcast App was created with help from our favorite meteorologist, Lonnie Quinn of the CBS Early Show, and Proenza Schouler art director Alejandro Cardenas. It makes packing for your trip a snap!

Find out more about Wearcast.

Happy Lundi Gras!

Got your beads and king cake ready for Mardi Gras? The weeks and especially the days leading up to Tuesday feature their own special fun. Today in New Orleans, Lundi Gras has numerous parades including Zulu (traditonally it never follows the same route), Orpheous (a celebration of the God of Music) and Proteus 9the second oldest krewe in parade history). If you're not in NoLa, watch the parades via Paradecam.

This past Friday's celebration featured the 41st annual Greasing of the Poles ceremony. The poles in the French Quarter are greased with  petroleum jelly to deter over-zealous revelers from scooting up to coveted balcony space during Mardi Gras parades. Today it's a ceremony celebrating the district. Thats Nicondra Norwood and Siemny Chhuon, representing New Orleans’ Fox and NBC broadcast station, above, getting ready to climb.

On Our Radar: Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have arrived in New York. The boutique hotel experts with both on-line and 24 hour in-house advisors, lend their advice on over 700 fabulous hotels worldwide. All of their hotspots have been visited and reviewed at least twice- once by a team member and once by a tastemaker (think Stella McCartney, Dita von Teese and Cate Blanchett). Check their site for these in depth and quirky reviews.

You don't have to be a member to book on-line; but members get special perks like money-back and exclusive travel deals. James Lohan and his wife, Tamara, started the company in London in 2003 after an unfortunate travel experience. "We go to extraordinary lengths to select the world’s best boutique hotels, and then we anonymously review all of them so we’re certain it’s the most passionately discerning collection on the planet," said Lohan.

We checked MrandMrsSmith.com for NYC just see to if they're on target with their choices. Sure enough they recommended and insightfully reviewed some of our favorite boutique hotels like the Soho House (pictured above), the Standard NY, the Ace Hotel, the Greenwich Hotel and more.

Staying Healthy Why You Travel

Between packing, getting to the airport, making it throughthe security line and finding space inthe overhead bin for our carry ons, getting there is definitely not half the fun. But there are things you can do to make the trip less stressful and avoid coming into contact with myriad germs on the plane. Check out JSG Annie's tips on DailyGlow.com for staying healthy and beautiful while traveling.

New Women's Trench from ScotteVest

If you've read our blog long enough, you know what big proponents we are of carrying on your luggage. It saves you checked bag fees, time by avoiding the luggage carrier, and you'll never be without your favorite LBD because the airline lost your luggage.

Scottvest takes it to another extreme by designing clothes that have so many hidden pockets, you can pack your clothes and amenities right in your jacket. Fully packed they are comically bulky; but the airlines don't have a response yet to this crafty way of getting around the luggage issues. Until now we haven't been impressed with the styles of the tops, vests and jackets for women; but their new trench coat is a huge improvement. It's available in four versatile colors: the red is a beaut, the periwinkle great for Spring and Summer and the black and tan good for those of you who don't want your coat making a bright color statement.

Until we have the chance to try one of these jackets ourselves, you can read K.D. Summer's trial as seen in the Washington Post.

Price is $130 at ScotteVest.

Tumi Spring Collection

We love our Tumi carry on bags and though we've only had them a year or so; we've dragged them all over the world already. (That's Hope in Tuscany above.) This spring Tumi is introducing its first line of sunglasses inspired by famous bridges and their balance of form and function using materials including leather, aluminum, titanium and stainless steel.

Tumi also introduced their new Bravo collection of day bags this Spring. Our pick is the unstructured Kessler Large Duffel in Linen which attaches easily to our Tumi system (for extra packing space) or could be used alone for a quick trip.

Looking for more Tumi? Check out the graffic art series of luggage by artist Crash. You wouldn't miss one of these on the luggage carousel!