Happy Souvenir Sunday!

When ever I touch down in an airport, I check out the shops in search of a great “of that city” souvenir.

If I buy, I have just a few rules:

1. No shot glasses or t-shirts.

2. Nothing more than $10.

3.  Nothing generic or simply stamped with the city’s name. (See rule 1).

This week:  President Obama paraphernalia from the America! shops at Dulles International Airport.

I’m sure you can find these items – and more – in just about every D.C. souvenir shop right now, but there are plenty of folks who have long layovers at Dulles airport and never have a chance to get into town.

While the Barack-in-the-box definitely rings up at more than $10, standing next to the cardboard version of the president for a photo appears to be free.

Categories: Souvenirs
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Jet-lag (when you’re “internally desychronized”) is no fun. It’s vexing when you’ve arrived in a new city at 6 a.m. and can’t keep your eyes open.  It’s maddening when it jostles you awake at 3 in the morning.

There are plenty of jet-lag remedies floating around out there. Some work. Others work only if you say a special chant.   One way to insure jet-lag, as well as a hangover: an airport pub crawl that includes some – or all – of the spots in this Forbes Traveler article: America’s Best Airport Bars.

Recommended spots include:  Vino Volo wine bars in Washington, D.C, Seattle, Detroit and other cities;  Cibi Bistro and Wine Bar at PHL,  DEN’s New Belgium Hub Bar & Grill, the Woodford Reserve Bar & Grill at the Louisville, Kentucky Airport, re:vive at JFK’s Terminal 5,  Laurelwood Brewing Company pubs at PDX, and the Shipyard Brewing Company at Maine’s Portland Int’l Jetport.

Also on the list: the Sweetwater Draft House at ATL, the Heineken Lounge at EWR,  and Squatters Pub and the Wasatch Brew Pub, both at the Salt Lake City airport.

Drink up, but bring aspirin.

Categories: Bars
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As if the casino, the artwork, the relax chairs, and the art museum wasn’t enough to make your love Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, here’s one more:

Now there’s a multi-purpose shop with a post office, drugstore, dry cleaner, shoe and clothing repair shop, cash dispenser, and employment agency.

The center is called Jill&James and is open daily in the Schiphol Plaza shopping center.

And travelers seeking a nice sit-down meal at a tablecloth restaurant will now find a branch of the Denver ChopHouse & Brewery on Concourse A at Denver International Airport.

Designed to evoke the feeling of a 1940s pub, the ChopHouse has a menu that ranges from filet mignon and bison burgers to salads. There’s also a to-go menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Categories: Shopping
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No matter your weight or your width, the next time you fly make sure you know your airline’s policy on “seatmates of size.”  Better yet, if you can find your airline’s customer of size policy, print it out and carry it with you.

It may help you avoid a pain in the butt and it may save you some bucks.

Last week, United Airlines laid out its new policy for “Passengers requiring extra space.”  It says that passengers who can’t fit into a single seat in their ticketed cabin; need more than one extender in order to buckle their seatbelt and; are unable to put the seat’s armrest down when they are seated may have to purchase a second seat if there are no extra empty seats on their scheduled flight.

What’s the policy on other airlines?  Find out in my Well-Mannered Traveler column posted today on MSNBC.com:  What a deal: one person, two fares.

You may surprised.  Some airlines don’t post their policies and just say they’ll “work something out” if a passenger can’t fit in one seat. Other airlines are very specific about their rules and make it easy to find them – but you may not like what you read.

Categories: Obesity, Seatmates of Size
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Big things are going on at Fresno Yosemite Int’l Airport .

As part of a remodel project, four “forested locations” are being built (or should we say planted) inside the terminal.

A recent arrival: this giant, walk-through Sequoia tree.

More trees, as well as fallen logs, burned out stumps and other foliage are on their way.

Categories: Art, Renovations
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