The Last Headphones You'll Ever Buy

If you're a traveling audiophile who likes the idea of those bulky Bose noise-canceling headphones but just can't bring yourself to spend 300 bucks on something that looks so ... well ... nerdy, here's a word of advice: don't.

The folks over at Ultimate Ears sent me a pair of their UE 700 noise-isolating headphones, which I test drove on a flight to Jamaica last weekend, and I have to say: if you're the type of person who's prepared to spend big bucks on big, rich sound, these are for you.

I liked that once I inserted the tiny earbuds, absolutely nothing came between me and my tunes, and I could get lost in music, despite the seemingly endless in-cabin announcements. With five included foam and silicone buds to choose from I got a comfy fit, and the airplane jack (also included) enriched the listening experience on the inflight programming –now if only they'd show something other than Olympics re-runs. Best of all, the earphones are so diminutive that I can even fit my Shuffle into the 'phones' nifty plastic case.

At around $200 a pair the headphones are certainly no bargain; but if you demand great sound, want noise-canceling features without the dork factor, and are prepared to pay a premium for it, check these babies out.

The Last Headphones You'll Ever Buy

Retail Refund

Good news for travelers who plan to drop some dinero in Cancun: under the destination's new Tax Back program, shoppers will be refunded the 10-percent value-added tax paid on cash purchases between 1,200 and 3,000 pesos (roughly $90 and $225) and on credit card purchases of any amount over 1,200 pesos.

Just ask for a receipt in participating stores (look for the orange sticker in the window), and on your way out present it at the Tax Back desk in Terminal 2 or 3. Depending on the amount, tax will be refunded in a combo of cash and a credit to your plastic or reimbursed entirely to your credit card. Big spenders should note that items that cost more than 5,000 pesos (about $370) must be presented for inspection.

Retail Refund

Small Packages

When you travel as much as the CT+L editors do, you quickly pick up tips and tricks to get you out the door and on the plane with as little hassle as possible. One I've learned: always keeping a bag of toiletries and travel essentials packed and ready to go. But because I'm a carry-on-only kinda gal, they've got to be in those teeny-tiny, TSA-approved containers – which means that I've invested more time than I care to admit painstakingly decanting my various lotions and potions into three-ounce plastic bottles. But now I don't have to.

On minimus.biz travelers can find an array of pint-sized personal care and household products, everything from nail polish remover to Febreze, sunscreen to contact lens solution to ... ahem ... individually wrapped condoms. You'll find all the brand names you recognize from the pharmacy aisle at prices that start from less than 20 cents to around five bucks.

For a less pedestrian - but pricier – collection of portables, check out 3floz.com. If you're a prestige skincare and makeup fan, bookmark this site for travel-friendly favorites from companies such as Dr Hauschka, DDF and Weleda. The site also offers an impressive selection of organic products, and there's a men's section with all the aftershave, shaving balms, creams and facial washes the well-groomed gentleman traveler could desire.

Of course, once you've loaded up on diminutive deodorant and other petite essentials, you're going to need a chic, transparent bag to stow them in, right? (Please don't tell me you were considering a boring zip-lock Glad bag. Perish the thought!) But that's a post for another day ...

Small Packages

Cover Up, Buttercup

You may have heard that come May 1, American Airlines will no longer provide blankets in the coach cabin on flights less than two hours long, and will begin charging passengers $8 for a blanket+ pillow combo on flights longer than two hours. The new policy applies not only to travel in the US and Canada but to Mexico and the Caribbean as well. So what's a comfort-craving, penny-pinching coach-class flier to do?

Here are three travel blankets you might consider making part of your travel kit. Sure, they cost more than AA's $8 version, but if you're one of those people who really feels the frigid in-cabin temps, we think the convenience of having your own in-flight cover-up is worth it.

The Lug Life Nap Sac Blanket + Pillow (pictured above) set is made of supersoft fleece. Fold the blanket, put it in the zip-up pouch/pillow case and use it as a pillow, or for firmer support, use the included inflatable pillow insert. The cozy comforter comes in 10 colors and features a handy-dandy pocket for your glasses or iPod. $22-$30 (depending on the color) from Amazon.

For full-on, full-body coverage, how 'bout the Cabin Cuddler (left)? Wrap yourself up burrito-like in the folds of this oversize microfleece, which looks kinda like a giant Snuggie with "wings" that cover each arm and a pocket for your feet. It also comes with an inflatable pillow and a bag that attaches to your carry-on. $28 from here.

Westin hotels are famous for their comfy Heavenly Bed, and now you can duplicate the experience on the go (or at least come close to it) with their Heavenly Travel Blanket. Fold the plush, washable full-size blanket into its hidden pocket and use it as a pillow, or just snuggle up and make the other people in your row jealous. $60 from Westin At Home.

Cover Up, Buttercup

Reading On The Road

On a recent flight I sat next to a woman who was deeply engrossed in a reading a book on her Kindle. We started chatting and she couldn’t stop raving about how perfect the e-reader is for travel.

“I can carry as many books as I like with me on a machine that weighs next to nothing; there’s no glare on the screen, even when I’m reading in full sun; and if I get sand or sea spray on it, no big deal - I just wipe it off,” she said.

Which got me thinking that maybe this bookworm should add a Kindle to her Christmas list. Then I heard about Barnes & Noble’s “Kindle Killer” the Nook, which releases on November 30.


Priced the same as the Kindle at $259, this e-reader looks and performs a lot like it ­– except for two major features. One: in place of the keyboard it has a second screen, a color touch screen that can function either as a virtual keyboard (kinda like the iPhone) or which you can use to scroll through all the books in the B&N Nook library. Two: Nook readers can lend friends e-books by sending them to other Nooks, iPhones, BlackBerrys and computers – something you can’t yet do with the Kindle.

But I gotta admit, what really has me jonesing for a Nook is the range of stylish accessories and covers. Come on, people; how cute is this?!

So tell me dear reader: Do you have an e-reader on your gift list? If you already own one, do you love it? Should I go with the tried-and-true Kindle or get into the Nook?

Reading On The Road

Ready, Set, Shop!

Believe it or not, there are only 90 more days before the holidays, and it’s never too early to get started on your gift list!

Long Island, NY transplant Gina Fedderson crafts fun and functional home accessories, stationery and art from her Virgin Islands home in St. Thomas, where she’s inspired by nature and casual beach living.

Readers may remember that we featured Gina’s work in our August 2008 issue, and now she’s just released her 2010 collection. The understated and elegant line of napkins, table runners and guest towels features block-printed botanical motifs such as palm fronds, tropical fruit and sea life (I’m in love with the coral placemats and pillows), which are repeated on the natural fiber wine totes and lavender sachets and recycled paper note cards.

You can find the Isola Bella line on St.Thomas at Home Again; in select stores in California, Florida and Massachusetts; or just hop online to isolabellashop.com to see the full collection.

Ready, Set, Shop!

Gotta Have It

When I’m on assignment, it’s my enviable task to check out chic restaurants, beachfront resorts and luxurious spas. (I know, it’s a tough life). But on a personal level, there’s nothing I enjoy more than shopping, and as our staff shutterbug (and my frequent sidekick) Zach can attest, no matter where my work travels take me, I always find time to ferret out a funky boutique or craft store where I can snag a unique memento of the trip.

Mexico, it turns out, is a treasure trove of souvenirs. Most recently, I brought home this enchanting handcarved blue-eyed angel, courtesy of tiny beachfront Tulum craft store called Mixik. I’d seen larger versions used as decorative accents in hotels on previous trips, so I was excited to bag one of my own, which now watches over me from its perch on the wall opposite my bed.

On my first trip to Playa, I fell in love with Fifth Avenue and came away with this piece of folk art made from a lottery card, which brightened up my dreary cube quite nicely.

And if I’d had somewhere to put it, I definitely would have bagged one of these charming Jellyfish lamps, made from gourds, colored marbles and shells. You’ll find lower priced copycats all along the Riviera Maya but trust me, it’s worth spending a few extra bucks to get the real deal (look for the Jellyfish tag) from the company’s two Playa stores.

Perhaps my funkiest purchase was this pair of sassy scarlet cowboy boots, courtesy of Rogers Boots in the departure lounge at Cancun airport. The moment I spotted them across the crowded terminal it was love at first sight. They were a total impulse purchase and they weren’t cheap, but they fit like a glove and every time I wear them I remember Mexico ­– and feel like a million bucks.

So if you’re going to Mexico any time soon, PLEASE back away from those obnoxiously oversized sombreros, and instead keep your eyes peeled for something unique and authentic that you won’t be embarrassed to wear or display once you get home. In Mexico ­– and all over the Caribbean – there’s a bounty of handcrafted souvenirs that truly merit space in your carry-on. What's your favorite Caribbean souvenir?

Gotta Have It

From Grenada, An Artist Paints the Caribbean

I had the good fortune during this trip to Grenada to spend some quality time exploring and developing my artistic side under the tutelage of Rebecca Thompson, a professional artist and British expat who, with her German-expat husband Uli Kühn, has called Grenada home for the last 20 years or so. Rebecca and Uli (with their two kids) own the Maca Bana Villas, where I've been kicking back for three sun-soaked days, and, right on magnificent Magazine Beach, The Aquarium Restaurant. Both properties are brimming with Rebecca's paintings — many of which were created using a papier mâché relief technique, giving the canvas a startling three-dimensional quality. Her subjects, almost without exception, are the Caribbean and its people.

Right now, she's working on a pair of paintings inspired by a recent trip to Carnival in Trinidad. "I went with a group of lady friends from Grenada," she tells me, "some Grenadian, some Trinidadian, but all living in Grenada. And I came back completely inspired. I wanted to make sure I enjoyed the experience to the full, but then had enough photographic material to go with my imagination. I pulled all the photos from all my friends, too."

When the paintings are complete, they'll adorn the restaurant's walls. "I'm going to invite all the ladies over," she says with a smile, "and we're going to have nice little reminisce."

Rebecca Thompson offers her art-instruction program to guests at Maca Bana. For more information, check out the Web site. I'll be writing about my Grenadian art experience for an upcoming issue of CT+L.

From Grenada, An Artist Paints the Caribbean

Topping It Off in Old San Juan

San Juan has designer outlets, duty free stores galore, and the Caribbean’s largest mall, Plaza Las Americas, where more than 300 stores tempt you to whip out your credit card. But as a black-belt “globeshopper,” I’m always on the lookout for something unique to the place I’m visiting, that offers real value for money and has a good story behind it, too – and I found just the thing in Old San Juan today when I happened upon Olé at 105 Fortaleza Street.

The tiny store is owned by the lovely and charming Guillermo Jeffs, who comes from a long line of Chilean hat makers and came to Puerto Rico more than four decades ago. In 1977 he established Olé, a tiny store that sells a colorful collection of art and handicraft and specializes in custom-fitted Panama hats.

Guillermo explained that the term “Panama” doesn’t apply to a particular style of hat but to the type of fibre used to make it and the specific style of weaving. Panama hats, therefore, can be made in a variety of styles, including the characteristic thin-brimmed, black-banded version we all know.

Olé’s collection exceeds 5,000 hats, ranging in price from $45 (for toppers which take about two days to make) to a whopping $4,000 for a hat that can take as long as two years to complete. There are wide-brimmed fedoras, colorfully variegated and open-weave versions, and fetching British Modern styles – which I fell in love with, but which were, alas, too small for my big-brained head.

I chose instead a tight-woven classic Panama accented with a scarlet cotton ribbon, – and for the first time I’m the owner of a hat that comfortably accommodates my bulbous brain and abundant mane. As I left the store I felt like quite the savvy shopper – smart, stylish, and proud to have done my part to stimulate the national economy.

Have you discovered any other worthwhile retail “shopportunities” in San Juan or elsewhere in the Caribbean? Share your finds with the class.

Topping It Off in Old San Juan