I recently drove from Dallas to San Antonio, which means that I had to go right through Austin, Texas. When I was planning my trip, I decided to see what restaurants were best rated in Austin and pick one for a meal either on the drive down or back up to Dallas. And Franklin Barbecue is the place that I decided on. I’d found several things online raving about the place – to the point that I was going into it with VERY high expectations.

As someone who grew up in Tennessee, I know good barbecue when I taste it. My dad is always trying some new hole-in-the-wall BBQ joint in search of the best of the best. I also lived in Kansas City and tasted what they try to pass off for barbecue there (blech). And I’ve had plenty of brisket and other BBQ in the DFW area. So, Franklin BBQ had some pretty big shoes to fill right from the start.

Since I read online that lines start before 10am, I knew that this would have to be a stop on the way back to Dallas. So, on the day that I was to leave San Antonio, I got up at 6:30am to get ready and make the pilgrimage to Franklin Barbecue. From what I had read online, this BBQ was going to be a religious experience – at least the brisket.

I’d read that Anthony Bourdain was in Austin earlier this year and declared it the best brisket he’d ever eaten – and that is quite an endorsement. So, I got in line around 9:25am and there were already five or six people there. Most of the people started arriving around 10:30 though. They don’t open up and start serving until 11am.

I wasn’t traveling alone, which means that I got to sample more than one thing on the menu. I tasted the brisket, the pulled pork and the ribs. The sides I tried were the slaw and the potato salad.

Best Brisket in Austin? The Verdict

I can say, that the brisket was definitely the best that I have ever had. It was not quite a religious experience, but I would stand in line for it again. The pulled pork also ranks really high up there for me. However, I didn’t really care for the ribs. The meat seemed a little dry and tough. Sides were good but nothing to rave about. It is also served, if you order the 2-meat plate, with two slices of white sandwich bread (I didn’t eat mine).

Why didn’t I eat my bread? Because they give you enough food on the 2-meat plate to feed a small army! Seriously. They really heap the barbecue on your plate. For two of the 2-meat plates and two iced teas, the total was just over $31. I can’t wait to have an excuse to go back to Austin just to get some more of this brisket.

As someone who likes to travel a lot, I am always looking for ways to stretch a dollar so that I can squeeze in a few more days on vacation or a few more trips per month. One of the best ways to do this is to use online travel agencies to try to find the lowest possible price for your travel. While I do not always end up booking via one of these online travel agencies, I do always check their prices.

When Not To Use Online Travel Agencies

If I discover that an online travel agency has the same or a very close price to an airline website or hotel website, then I do not book it. Instead, I book directly with the airline or hotel. And I do this for a couple of reasons. With airline tickets, it is easier to make requests and changes if you are dealing directly wit the airline. Plus, you can’t get airline miles if you book through one of these consolidators.

The same applies for hotel rewards points. You can’t get those points if you are booking through one of the big online travel agencies. Sometimes you can get around this with Marriott Rewards points. In fact, a couple of years ago when I went to Hawaii, I booked my hotels via Priceline and ended up in two different Marriott hotels. Then, I called each hotel and asked if they could attach my Marriott Rewards number to the reservations so that I could get my allergy-free preferences for my rooms. Not only did I get the feather-free rooms, but I also got rewards points for the entire cost of the stays. This is rare though and doesn’t always work. I recently tried the same thing in New Orleans at the Marriott there and did not get the points or the feather-free room.

I also rarely use online travel agencies for airline tickets after some bad experiences. The times that I have done it, it resulted in rides on the smaller planes and extra stops that were not necessary to get to my destination. That means longer flight times. Sure, that is how it gets to be so cheap but it is just not worth it in my experience.

Getting The Cheapest Deal – The Best Online Travel Agencies

You can see a rundown of the top online travel consolidators by checking out our list of online travel agencies. I have personally used almost all of the websites on the list. Some I will never use again and some I use regularly.

#1 for Cheap Hotels – Priceline
You can’t beat Priceline’s Name Your Own Price option for hotels. One of the great things is that you can See Winning Hotel bids in Top Cities from $28 per night! That gives you a good idea of what will be accepted for bids. I always check the price on hotels in the area first on Hotwire before giving my bid. And I always bid slightly lower than Hotwire.

#1 for Cheap Car Rentals – Priceline
Again with the Name Your Own Price option, Priceline is tops for cheap car rentals. And like the hotels, you can See Winning Rental Car bids in Top Cities from $12/day! Priceline is always cheapest for car rentals, in my experience. Again, you can check on Hotwire first to see how to bid.

Good For Researching Prices
I love to use Hotwire.com to research the lowest prices for hotels and car rentals when I am planning travel. I always look only at the Hotwire Hot Rates, which are the ones where you don’t know the name of the hotel or car rental company.

Good for Quick Airline or Hotel Prices
I use Travelocity and Expedia.com interchangeably when I am wanting to know the offerings of hotels and airline tickets for a trip. This gives me a rough idea of what is available. Usually, I use these in the early planning stages. I have booked hotels on each of them in the past with no issues at all. I use them for hotel bookings when they have cheaper rates than booking direct and when I don’t want to chance it on getting a crappy hotel via Priceline.

Cashback On Your Travel
I have not used Orbitz since they started doing their cashback offer, but it is an attractive option. The way that it works is that if someone else books the exact same thing as you, but at a lower price, then you get a cash back refund.

My Worst Experience
I booked some airline tickets to Europe using CheapOair a couple of years ago that was a disaster. I only use them because I was looking for a cheap way to fly in and out of different locations. In my opinion, the customer service was a nightmare. They made changes to my intinerary close to my departure date that messed up my travel plans. It was just a really bad experience. And I had issues getting seats with the person I was traveling with, which would not have happened had I booked directly with an airline.

Located directly next door to DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen in Gulf Shores, you will find Old World Bakery and Pizza.

During my stay in Gulf Shores, I never got a chance to try the pizza, but I did have some food from their bakery. From the reviews on Yelp for the pizza, it seems like I did not miss much.

You might be thinking that a pizza-bakery combo restaurant sounds like a disaster. I agree. In fact, I never would have gotten bakery items here if my father hadn’t raved about their sticky buns.

Old World Bakery and Pizza makes these giant sticky buns that are a cross between a cinnamon roll and a pecan roll. There is no icing on top, as it looks more like a pecan roll. The flavor is quite good as it is not too sweet and not too bland.

The only problem with this place is that their opening hours seem fluid. One day they are open by 10am and the next day they are not open until almost noon. The reason that this is such a big problem is that all of the locals seem to know about these sticky buns and they go fast! And once they are gone, Old World Bakery & Pizza does not make more until the next day.

Lulu’s Restaurant at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores, Alabama has got to be one of the coolest beach restaurants that I have ever been to. The place is huge and it is surrounded by a really awesome obstacle course-like play area for kids of all ages, a huge sandbox, a gift shop, a couple of outdoor bars, an outdoor restaurant and a music stage.

The interesting thing about Lulu’s restaurant is that it is owned by Lulu Buffett, sister of the one and only Jimmy Buffett.

For me, I went to Lulu’s because I saw on the online menu that they serve grass-fed beef for their burgers. I love me a good grass-fed burger. When we arrived at Lulu’s, the wait for the main restaurant was two hours! Instead of waiting that long to eat, we wandered over to the bar with the outdoor picnic table-style seating and were able to get a table immediately. The only catch with eating in this area as opposed to the main restaurant is that you do not get the full menu.

Sadly, the food here was not all that great. Despite ordering my burger medium-well, it was the driest burger that I have ever had the misfortune of eating. The onion rings were not great either as the appeared to have a cornmeal type of batter. The worst part of the meal though was dessert – Krispy Kreme bread pudding. It was soggy and just disgusting.

The only way that I would willing return to Lulu’s is if I had kids and they wanted to play on the obstacle course. If you are considering going for a burger – skip it! You can get a better one at a fast food joint.

If you look forward to the annual free concerts in New York City as part of the Today Show Summer Concert series, then you will won’t want to miss the just released lineup for this year.

There are always some great singers and bands on the schedule, but they have really outdone themselves for 2012. If you are in the NYC area, or can travel there, you have a chance at seeing some of the hottest singers and bands for free this summer!

Today Show 2012 Summer Concert Series Schedule

Are you ready to start making those travel arrangements to see your fave bands and singers for free this summer in NYC? Here is the full list of performers scheduled to appear in the Today Show Rockefeller plaza.

May 2012

• 18th – Usher
• 25th – Pitbull
• 31st – American Idol winner and runner-up

June 2012

• 1st – The Band Perry
• 8th – Chris Brown
• 15th – Justin Bieber
• 22nd – Kenny Chesney
• 29th – Maroon 5

July 2012

• 6th – Flo Rida
• 13th – Zac Brown Band
• 20th – Hot Chelle Rae

August 2012

• 24th – Train
• 31st – Jason Mraz with Christina Perri

An important thing to keep in mind with this schedule is that they can add performers to it at any time! So, if you don’t see your fave band or singer here, keep checking because they just might get added to the lineup.

Traveling to NYC from Out of Town?

If you are going to be traveling into the city from out of town, you might need to stay in a hotel in Manhattan. In my experience, some of the best and cheapest hotels in the NYC are Holiday In Express – you get free breakfast and wi-fi! Find Holiday Inn Express Hotels in NYC- Click Here To Book

Of course, if you really do not care what hotel brand you end up at, you can get amazing deals by using Priceline. A couple of years ago I got the Grand Hyatt at Grand Central for $99 via Priceline! Bid on Cheap Hotels and Flights at Priceline.com – Click Now To Book

*Image credit: Flickr.com – asterix611

All of the advertisements you will see for DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen in Gulf Shores, Alabama mention how it has been a People’s Choice winner in a variety of categories for several recent years. Supposedly, it was been dubbed ‘Friendliest Staff,’ ‘Best Lunch,’ ‘Best Dinner’ and ‘Best Seafood’ several times.

Of all those titles, all I can say is that the staff is friendly. However, my parents think they have the best food in the area.

I suspect the location of DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen has a lot to do with its popularity since it is one block from the beach and directly beside the popular Old World Bakery.

I dined at DeSoto’s for dinner and ordered the Caribbean Platter (price: $18.99). It came with three Coconut shrimp, a piece of jerk chicken & a fillet of grilled grouper with mango-pineapple sauce. One side comes with the platter, and I ordered the yellow rice.

The best part of my meal was the rice. It was moist and perfectly seasoned. The coconut shrimp was also good, if not a little sweet. More than three of the shrimp would have been nice. The grilled grouper had a hot spicy flavor, like the jerk chicken, and was more pepper hot than tasty. I left the jerk chicken because it was terrible. It looked and tasted like one of those fake pieces of chicken that many restaurants serve – you know the ones I am talking about where the chicken fillet has the perfect symmetrical shape with zero naturally occurring fat.

I also tried the fried green tomato appetizer, which was pretty good. The complimentary bread was also good.

I do not think I would ever return to this restaurant on purpose. While much of my meal was edible, it was not particularly tasty. The restaurant seems to specialize in fried seafood, which is the problem with most of the seafood restaurants in Gulf Shores. As a result, their grilled fish is not the best and most of the stuff on the menu seems overpriced.

If you like loud music, slow service and crappy food, then the Gulf Shores staple The Hangout is the place for you. It is part restaurant, part bar and part music venue. Plus, it has a huge play area for the kids. The Hangout it directly on the beach and even shares a parking lot with the public beach parking for Gulf Shores public beach.

The main restaurant area has a bar in the center and is surrounded by tables. A gift shop is also located in the restaurant. And the entire restaurant is open air to take advantage of those sea breezes. The outer area of the restaurant is made up of bars, stages and play areas.

You will most likely encounter a wait when you arrive to eat. Consider this your warning that the food is not worth the wait. My party tried the following items:

• Mediterranean Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Fries
• Gumbo
• Onion Rings

The only standout was the gumbo (shrimp & sausage), which truly was good tasting. The chicken sandwich had a bun that was as hard as a rock and the chicken itself was beyond dry. The onion rings are in a cornmeal breading (blech) and the Caesar salad did not have traditional Caesar dressing or any cheese on it.

If there is no live loud music playing through the speaker system, there is an annoying DJ playing loud music and encouraging everyone to line dance in the aisles. The same aisles where people are trying to sit and eat (talk about annoying!). And since there is play area for kids, there are constantly kids running down the aisles.

My opinion of The Hangout in Gulf Shores is that it is a total waste of money and time.

Wolf Bay Lodge has two locations in lower Alabama – one in Foley and one in Orange Beach. The Foley location is an actual lodge by the lake and the Orange Beach location can be found at Zeke’s Landing.

I recently stopped by the Orange Beach location to check out their homemade Key Lime bread pudding.

The restaurant itself has more of a sports bar type of feel. While it does bill itself as a family restaurant, I really did not get that type of impression from my brief visit. Parking at the restaurant is easy because Zeke’s Landing has plenty of spaces.

I cannot comment on any of the food except for desserts because the bread pudding is all that I ordered. If you like Key Lime Pie then you may enjoy Wolf Bay Lodge’s Key Lime Bread Pudding because it tastes like an upside down Key Lime Pie. However, they also have regular Key Line Pie on the menu, which you may prefer. If you are looking for traditional bread pudding, then you will not enjoy this dessert at Wolf Bay Lodge restaurant. Cost with tax for the bread pudding was $6.60.

The restaurant is located at 26619 Perdido Beach Blvd in Orange Beach at Zeke’s Landing.

Are you planning a trip to Paris, France and looking for things to fill your itinerary? No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Sacre-Coeur. Located in the Montmartre district, Sacre-Coeur sits at the top of the hill as the highest point in all of Paris. Sometimes known as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Sacre-Coeur basilica was constructed in 1873 to pay tribute to the 58,000 lives lost during the Franco-Prussian War. It is home to a 19-ton bell, which is the largest of its kind in the world.

With easy Metro access, you can make this area of Paris your base for exploring the surrounding area as well as the city itself. Many reasonably priced hotels can be found near Sacre-Coeur in the 18th arrondissement.

French travertine stone gives the basilica its snow white color, which you can see from almost anywhere in Paris. This is what makes it one of the most prominent and noticeable landmarks in Paris. As you might imagine, one of the benefits of visiting Sacre-Coeur is the vantage point you have above the city when you ascend to the top of the dome. In fact, you can see all of Paris from the top of Sacre-Coeur.

The clock tower at the basilica is home to the world’s largest Savoyarde clock. The Luc-Olivier Merson designed apse mosaic, which depicts Christ in Majesty and The Sacred Heart worshiped by the Virgin Mary, Joan of Arc and St. Michael the Archangel, is also the largest of its kind in the world.

Inside the dimly lit Sacre-Coeur, you will find golden mosaics that match the bronze doors of the grand main portal. You can also view the bronze altar, the large choir, the 11 round and tall arches that create the barrel vault and the large dome. The crypt of this Catholic basilica is home to statues of saints as well as a relic, which is believed to be the very sacred heart of Christ.

Once you are done enjoying the interior architecture of Sacre-Coeur, you can head to the rear of the basilica. The grounds are home to a fountain and garden. Entrance to the garden and basilica are free, but there is a €5 admission fee to enter the dome and the crypt.

Get more info on cheap things to do in Paris here.

If you’re going to be in New York City in the next few months, you can go for a skate at the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink.

The rink opened for the 2011- 2012 winter season last week. The lowest prices are during the pre-holiday time, which ends on November 4th. After that, prices go up.

Hours and admission fees are different for the pre-holiday and holiday schedule.

Pre-holiday goes through November 3, 2011. Adult Skating Prices: Monday – Thursday = $10.00, Friday – Sunday & Holidays $14.00. Lunch Skating Prices: Monday – Thursday $6.00 between 11:30am-1pm (excluding holidays). Seniors & Kids under 11 Skating Prices: Monday – Thursday = $8.00, Friday – Sunday & Holidays = $8.50. Skate Rental: $8.00

Pre-holiday hours:

Monday-Thursday
9:00am – 1:00pm
1:30pm – 5:30pm
6:00pm – 10:30pm

Friday
8:30am – 11:00am
11:30am – 2:00pm
2:30pm – 4:30pm
5:00pm – 7:00pm
7:30pm – 9:30pm
10:00pm – midnight

Saturday
8:30am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 2:00pm
2:30pm – 4:00pm
4:30pm – 6:00pm
6:30pm – 8:00pm
8:30pm – 10:00pm
10:30pm – midnight

Sunday & Holidays
8:30am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 2:00pm
2:30pm – 4:30pm
5:00pm – 7:00pm
7:30pm – 10:00pm

The holiday schedule is from November 4, 2011 to January 6, 2012. Adult Skating Prices November 4th – November 17th: Monday – Thursday = $15.50, Friday – Sunday = $19.00. Adult Skating Prices November 18th – January 6th: $21.00. Seniors & Kids under 11 Skating Prices November 4th – November 17th: Monday – Thursday = $9.50, Friday – Sunday = $10.50. Seniors & Kids under 11 Skating Prices: November 18th – January 6th $12.50. Skate Rental: $10.00

Holiday daily hours:

8:30am – 10:00am
10:30am – 12:00pm
12:30pm – 2:00pm
2:30pm – 4:00pm
4:30pm – 6:00pm
6:30pm – 8:00pm
8:30pm – 10:00pm
10:30pm – midnight

You can also get cheaper group rates. And if you need ice skating lessons, you can get them at the rink. For more information, call 212-332-7655.

Hours and fees for the January 7 – April 2012 schedule have not yet been released.