Mobissimo

The ubiquitous food cart is seen on every corner in NYC. You've seen them, most likely you've smelled them, the long queues of people waiting for a greasy handful of mystery meat. Or a Sabrett's. Or a Poland Spring. Anyway, some of the food is actually pretty good, not just a 'I shouldn't have eaten that' snack before lunch. Here are some of NYC's best competing for the best Vendor Award.

You don't need reservations or deep pockets to chow down on some of the best food in New York City.

Any number of culinary wonders can be found from street-corner vendors, who serve up unexpected ethnic meals from tiny metal trailers on the cheap.

A new free bike campaign is taking off in Paris.  Free bikes are being offered as an alternative to transportation around the city of lights.

Everyone knows that rules are made to be broken, the French better than most. Which explains why, two months after government-owned, almost-free communal bikes were introduced in Paris, the City of Light has been transformed into something akin to the Wild Wild West. Businessmen speed across traffic lanes, stately grande dames cycle the wrong way down one-way streets, and students weave in and out of pedestrians on the sidewalk.

It's still pretty hot in many parts of the world, but in Colorado, the temperatures are ready for snow making.

 GEORGETOWN, Colo. - The race is on.

Loveland Ski Area and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area are firing up their snowmaking guns for the first time this fall to get ready for the upcoming ski season.

The resorts traditionally have raced to be the first to open, usually in October. Last year A-Basin was first, opening on the 13th of October.

It's still fall and fares are still super cheap.  You can fly to Denver from basically anywhere in the US for not much more than $200.  If you like the fake stuff ...

Don't know how many flights I've taken this summer, but 3 have been cancelled and nearly all have been delayed at some point.  Those three cancelled flights were the result of 'mechanical issues' which is fine, I'd rather fly later on a safe jet than a 'broken' one.  An aviation bill is planning on alleviating some of the woes caused by cancellations and delays, read more here via MSNBC:

WASHINGTON - U.S. airlines and airports would have to come up with plans to provide passengers stranded by long delays with food, water and other basic amenities under an aviation bill approved by the House of Representatives Thursday.

Yet again, AirTran Airways 2 Day Sale From $39 one way - Book by 9/21.  If you haven't  flown AirTran, you just haven't flown.

While those living in New York usually want to get away for the weekend, sometimes it's nice to stick around and check out something new - no, not Brooklyn - a different part of the city.  The East Village, full of the modely, grungy, artsy types is always a good bet.  At once the best and worst of what NYC has to offer, more here via the Times.

A prime candidate for such a stay is the East Village, the neighborhood bordered by the Bowery and Third Avenue, East 14th Street, Avenue D and Houston. It's a charming and walkable chunk of the city so packed with restaurants, theaters and oddball shops that you will see no reason to leave all weekend. If you're the kind of traveler who loves to tell friends back home about the place you “just stumbled upon,” you couldn't stumble around a better 80 square blocks.

An idea whose time has come - gay flights.

The friendly skies are about to get a lot gayer.

Air New Zealand executives are planning a one-off Pink Flight from San Francisco to Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras next February. High-flying homos will enjoy some international camp as the crew dons feathered boas, serve pink cocktails and provide a bit of cabaret.

There you go, you can search ANZ on Mobi, perhaps we'll have a pink highlight for this specific flight.

Most people may not be aware that airlines have strict rules concerning "irregularities" such as canceled flights. One of these rules, number 240, specified that if an airline was unable to fly you to your destination on time, it was required to put you on a competitor's flight if it would get you there faster than your original airline's next flight. Airlines were even required to seat you in first class if that's all that was available. I have personally benefited from rule 240 due to a cancelled United flight, in the late 1990s.

Airlines formed after the deregulation of 1978 were not required for follow these rules. Some of them may, if you are lucky. Legacy carriers such as American, United, and Delta still have rule 240, but have recently started to weaken it. United, for example, will go as far as transporting you on a competitor's flight in coach.

It is important to remember that these rules apply only in situations within airline's control, such as a mechanical problem. "Acts of god" such as bad weather, a riot, or work stoppage do not generally grant passengers the benefit of rule 240. As a good practice, it is smart to have a copy of the contract of carriage to show the ground crew (person at the counter), should the situation arise for rule 240.

Best way to travel with kids?  Don't bring them.  Here's an account from the male POV, a great read.

A trip to see the grandparents in England. At first it didn't seem like that big a deal, but soon reality hit: the summer crowds, the long lines at the airport, some extreme weather — and a little boy fast approaching 2 years of age. Suddenly the flight to England seemed like a major undertaking.

The much vaunted and hyped 787 Dreamliner from Boeing was supposed to be the Airbus killer. However, much like the Airbus, the 787 is experiencing production delays, more here:

QANTAS may be hit with delivery delays for its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft fleet after Boeing conceded it was experiencing production glitches.

Boeing said yesterday there was increased risk it would not meet its delivery schedule for its first 787 Dreamliner.

Production glitches have forced the planemaker to postpone the new jet's maiden flight, which was scheduled for last month, until a few weeks before Christmas.

Qantas has ordered 45 of the aircraft and has options for a further 70 and was expecting to take delivery of its first in August next year.

No worries for you mate, we'll still search the airlines regardless of what plane they fly. Yay*

Here's a new one, apparently one woman's revealing attire was inappropriate to fly on Southwest, more via Yahoo here.  One part Hooters girl, one part no-frills airline, one part traveling throught the Bible belt ... bam, here's what you get.

Many travelers accrue tons of Hotel points via business trips and leisure trips, but often redeeming them is another question.  How best to use the precious points is best explained here via CNN.

Hotel loyalty programs have come a long way since they were introduced a quarter century ago by Holiday Inn. Initially viewed as the ugly stepsister of airlines' frequent-flier plans, they have shed their dowdy image, and points have become highly desirable.

What's changed? The value of a free airline ticket -- the ultimate reward offered by carrier loyalty plans -- has not risen significantly, while reward-point qualifying seats have become troublesomely scarce.

While I usually sleep on someone's floor, others may prefer something a little more luxury, check out the whole article here.

I travel a lot, 60% of my flights domestically have been delayed, 3 cancelled.  Airlines seem to think that leaving the gate kinda on time then sitting on the tarmac constitues an 'On Time Departure.'  Even my little statistical analysis is confirmed:

 WASHINGTON - The percentage of flight delays at the nation's largest airlines rose in July compared with a year ago, according to government data released Tuesday.

The government last month said the airline industry's on-time performance in the first half of 2007 was its worst since comparable data began being collected in 1995.

The 20 carriers reported an on-time arrival rate of 69.8 percent in July, down from 73.7 percent a year ago, according to the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics.