The Latest BrenCase Adventures

I am on one of my three to four trips to Chapel Hill NC that I make each year.  I generally always come in the night before my meeting, and have some favorite hotels that I try to use.  I am in one of those on this trip.  The Sheraton Chapel Hill is a three star property in a superb location (most locations in Chapel Hill are okay).  I have my own rating of each star rating - I give this hotel an 8.5 on a ten scale of all three star hotels I have experienced.

Amenities include:

• free wi-fi in each room
• Starbucks coffee in the room (packets for two 12 ounce cups)
• Starwood Preferred Guest amenities like complimentary bottle of water and free USA Today newspaper delivered to room

Now here is the really good part:  Contact phillip@brencase.com to learn how you might get a room at this hotel for as little as $67 per night (plus taxes); a three star hotel for a two star price.

Where have I been!  March and April were just too busy.  I will try once again to keep you updated with travel news you can use.

One of the perks of being a Certified Sandals Specialist is visiting the Sandals resorts.  I am presently at Beaches Negril and want to give you information and reviews at least two or three times during my stay.

Beaches Negril is about an hour and a half ride from Montego Bay airport.  It is a very windy road, but a good one, generally following the northwest coast line.  The shuttle bus carried us through quite a few little towns, even stopping about two thirds of the way to Negril for a refreshment and restroom break.  This is a good place to get your first taste of jerk chicken and A Red Stripe beer in Jamaica.

Beaches Negril is on Seven Mile Beach just a few miles north of Negril.  Also on this beach only a mile or so from Beaches Negril are Beaches Sandy Bay and Sandals Negril.  I will post a few pictures of those resorts if I have the opportunity to visit them.  I will also be writing some resort reviews in the coming days - check back daily!

Go to the Sandals/Beaches web page for unedited pictures that will be updated each day of the trip.  I will try to edit and label tham after my return.  These pictures and others at the web page give a genuine look at the resorts from the eye of my camera, not a flashy internet picture that sometimes looks better than the real thing (and usually is!).

I have said for a long time I want to let you know about what we have in western North Carolina.  I promised to write about travel in our state and review restaurants and all the activities of these beautiful mountains.  Well, it is never too late to start!

One of the area's favorite restaurants has opened a new store in Hendersonville at 1508 Asheville Hwy (less than one mile from BrenCase Adventures).  Iannucci's has been a Hendersonville Road fixture in South Asheville for many years.

I am not going to give you all of my reasons for loving this place; but I will give you a couple of hints:

• Don't miss the bread sticks.
• Don't think there has been a mistake on your check - best prices in the area for absolutely superb Italian food.

Check out a menu HERE; both locations offer essentially the same choices.  Tell them Phillip sent you!






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When a major snowstorm hit the eastern U.S. just before Christmas, paralyzing air travel from New York's JFK airport on December 20, two couples connecting from Europe to Miami for a Crystal cruise leaving the next day realized their flight was canceled.  They got together and did what savvy travelers do in New York: They hailed a taxi and took it all the way to Miami.

The tab for the almost 24 hour ride?  A cool $10,000.

Both couples agreed it was money well spent.  They enjoyed the cruise and have stayed in touch with the cab driver.



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Not a one of us should need an incentive to give generously to the Haiti relief efforts; but we all know sometimes an extra nudge might influence us.  Spirit Airlines will give 5,000 free frequent flyer miles to any persons donating at least $5 to the Red Cross, UNICEF, or Yele Haiti to help with Haiti’s recovery efforts. (That amount of miles will qualify for a free flight, and the airline says it’s planning to give away up to one billion miles as part of this promotion.)

Go to Free Spirit to enroll in the airline's frequent flyer program.  Then go to Haiti Relief to choose the agency you want to donate to (I would recommend Yele Haiti).  Complete the form on that page for the 5000 miles to be credited to your Free Spirit account.

If you are not interested in going through all the above procedure, just find an agency of your choice and GIVE!



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Did you know that pizza is one of the safest foods to eat while away from home?

While many tourists can become sick from eating contaminated foods in foreign places, pizza has been found less likely to spoil than other foods. One reason for this is that pizzas are cooked at very high temperatures before arriving at your table.

Just thought you might like to know!

Find more tips for the road at KidsHealth.org.

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Family Travel Forum urges families flying to the U.S. to prepare fornew security regulations in place at international airports around theworld.


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