Souvenir Sunday

Souvenir Sunday: Hello Kitty at SFO

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It’s Souvenir Sunday, the day we take a look at some of fun, inexpensive items you can find when you’re stuck at the airport.

This week: cute  – really cute – Hello Kitty trinkets from San Francisco International Airport:

hello kitty sfo

If you spend your time poking around the shops when you’re stuck at the airport, please keep an eye out for items that are fun, inexpensive (around $10 or less) and a bit offbeat. Snap a photo, send it along and if it’s featured here on StuckatTheAirport.com, I’ll send you a special airport-related souvenir.

Hello Kitty Golden Gate t-shirt

Souvenir Sunday: Build-a-Bear at Orlando International Airport

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Each Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com we take a look at some of the fun things for sale in airport shops.

Usually it’s an inexpensive item that’s a bit offbeat and “of” the city or town. Something like the  “Fly SUX” souvenirs for sale at Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) in Sioux City, Iowa.

 

This week, the Souvenir Sunday pick is something that’s just fun and a very good fit for Orlando International Airport.

The first airport Build-a-Bear Workshop opened last week at Orlando International Airport. Customers are promised “an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience,” and after making their way through a variety of  hands on stations (Choose Me, Hear Me, Stuff Me, Stitch Me, Fluff Me, Dress Me, Name Me and Take Me Home) they end up with their own custom-made bear, bunny, dog, kitty or other animal. The cost: between $10 and $25.

I’m not sure if we’ll be seeing the Build-a-Bear concept popping up at other airports. But it’s a great fit for Orlando International Airport, which welcomes so many families and already offers so many treats, including free Wi-Fi, fun art, theme-park character statues for free photo ops, two Kennedy Space Center gift shops and several game arcades.

Want to more about Orlando International Airport (MCO)? Take a look at the MCO airport guide I created for USATODAY.com.

Souvenir Sunday: Get tiled

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It’s Souvenir Sunday here at StuckatTheAirport.com – a day to look at fun, inexpensive and, ideally, offbeat souvenirs from airports.

This week’s souvenir isn’t something you can take home from the airport, but something you might be able to put on an airplane: your face.

 

As part of KLM’s Facebook-based “Tile and Inspire” campaign, you have until May 25, 2011 to upload your portrait and a short message onto a themed, traditional Delft Blue tile. The airline will then choose about 4,000 of the tiles and apply them to the body of a KLM Boeing 777-200 that will begin flying in June.

Ready to tile yourself? You can create a personal Delft Blue Tile on KLM’s Facebook page or at www.tileyourself.com. The airline is inviting inspirational messages in Chinese, Dutch, English, German, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, French and Spanish.

Souvenir Sunday: Aviation Museum Passport

Souvenir Sunday

By rights this should be posted on Museum Monday, but next week’s slot for that is already taken.

Instead I’m declaring the Paine Field Passport my Souvenir Sunday pick for this week.

There are four – count ‘em – four major aviation attractions clustered around the Snohomish County, Washington airport, north of Seattle: the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour, the Historic Flight Foundation, the Flying Heritage Collection and the Museum of Flight Restoration Center.

 

Beginning last week, these four attractions began selling a $10 Paine Field Passport. It’s a handsome document that gives visitors a 20 percent discount on admission from September through May and a 20 percent discount in shops and cafes year-round. Inside are descriptions of each aviation attraction, a map of the points of interest at Paine Field and a bookmark listing special offers.

 

Souvenir Sunday: chocolate knives from Zurich Airport

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Sunday is Souvenir Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com; the day we look at some of the fun, inexpensive souvenirs you can buy at airports.

This week’s pick: chocolate Swiss Army knives found at Zurich Airport.

You can’t pack the real thing in your carry-on anymore, but when you’re hungry, these might prove quite handy.

Do you spend time poking around airport shops when you’re waiting for a flight? If you find something fun, inexpensive and “of” the city or region, please snap a photo and send it along.
If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, I’ll send you a fun airport-related souvenir.

Souvenir Sunday at Zurich Airport

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It’s Souvenir Sunday; the day we take a look at some of the fun, inexpensive and local souvenirs for sale at airports.

This week’s treats come from Zurich Airport, where there are plenty of things made of chocolate.

Zurich Airport macarons

And plenty of other souvenirs that a similarly Swiss, but less likely to be nibbled on during the long flight home.

Magnets from Zurich Airport

Magnets Swiss souvenirs

Souvenir Sunday is a regular feature here on StuckatTheAirport.com. So if you find a great airport souvenir that’s inexpensive (around $10), “of” the city or region and, ideally, a bit offbeat, please snap a photo and send it along. If your photo is featured on Souvenir Sunday I’ll send you a special aviation-related souvenir.

Souvenir Sunday at JFK

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New York City Souvenirs at JFK

It’s Souvenir Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com. That’s the day we take a look at the fun, inexpensive and “of” the city souvenirs you can pick up when you’ve got time to spend at an airport.

This week’s finds were spotted in the shops at Delta Air Lines’ Terminal 3 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport – JFK.

New York City souvenirs

And, while they’re not “of” New York City, these cute kitty-bunnies caught my eye.

Hello Kitty at JFK

If you find a great souvenir next time you’re Stuck at the Airport, please take a moment to snap a photo, jot down some notes (price, why you love it, etc.) and send it along.

If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, I’ll send you a special travel souvenir.

Finished shopping? If you’re in Terminal 3 at JFK, be sure to visit the iPad village.

Souvenir Sunday: showers and sundries at SFO

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Every Sunday here at  StuckatTheAirport.com is Souvenir Sunday: a day to unpack our carry-on and take a look at some of the fun, inexpensive goodies you can find for sale at airports.

This week’s souvenirs come from San Francisco International Airport, which is getting to ready to open the new and very much improved Terminal 2 to the flying public.  They will be a grand opening celebration for T2 on April 9th (anyone can go, but you’ll need to sign up for a free ticket). Virgin America and American Airlines begin using the terminal for regular flights on April 14th.

I’ve already posted a sneak preview of the terminal. See SFO T2 sneak peek -Part 1 and SFO T2 sneak peek part 2 – and check back later for more.

When I visited the new T2, the shops were not yet open, so I wandered over to the SFO International Terminal to see what I could find.  Sadly, the Sephora store is gone, but Freshen Up! is still there.

SFO showers

Located right next door to the Airport Travel Agency (on the Departures/Ticketing Level of the International Terminal, near the entrance to Gates G91-G102) and open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., this no-frills spot offers shower rooms, massage chairs, a place to iron your clothes and a wide variety of travel-sized items at surprisingly reasonable prices. 

SFO Freshen Up sundries

In addition to things like toothpaste, diapers, shaving cream and other sundries they also stock underwear, socks, shirts, pantyhose and other items travelers might find useful when they’re stuck at the airport on a long layover or while waiting for that delayed flight.

SFO FRESHEN UP -underwear for sale

A 20 minute shower at Freshen Up! will cost you $11. A 30-minute “deluxe” shower is $15 and includes shampoo, lotion, shower shoes a towel and nice soap. Store your bags at the travel agency next door and they’ll give you a coupon good for an upgrade from the standard to the deluxe shower.

Now that you’re clean – go shopping!

And if you see a great airport souvenir that’s inexpensive, ‘of’ the city or region and, ideally, a bit offbeat, please snap a photo and send it along. If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, I’ll send you a special travel souvenir.

Souvenir Sunday at San Francisco International Airport

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Finishing touches on SFO T2

SFO T2

San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal 2, serving passengers on American Airlines and Virgin America, will host a community open house on Saturday, April 9, 2011, and begin hosting flights on Thursday, April 14, 2011.

In the meantime, workers are scrambling to get everything done. None of the stores were open when I visited last Thursday, but I’m looking forward to stopping by again to shop in Compass Books, Pacific Outfitters, the Mosaic Gallery (merchandise from local museums and work by Bay Area artists) and Greetings from SF, which promises “gifts, apparel, and souvenirs that reflect the unique culture of San Francisco.”

In the meantime, I made do with doing my Souvenir Sunday shopping in the SFO International Terminal.

Pretty much everything was tempting at the SFMOMA Museum Store, but I especially liked these 3-D magnets.

SFO MOMA MUSEUM STORE

 

And this make-your-own San Francisco postcard.

SFO postcard

 

Souvenir Sunday needs you.

If you find a great souvenir next time you’re stuck at the airport, please snap a photo and send it along. If you’re souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, you’ll receive a special travel-related souvenir.

Souvenir Sunday: Jimi Hendrix and Orca Poop

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Each Sunday at StuckatTheAirport.com is Souvenir Sunday: a day to celebrate the inexpensive, offbeat and locally-linked items you can buy in airport gift shops.

This week’s finds are from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where, back around Valentine’s Day, I was surprised to find these Jimi Hendrix lunch boxes on sale for just $4.99.

SEA-TAC Jimi Hendrix purses

At first I thought the tins were on sale because they’re red, because Jimi Hendrix was from Seattle and because they had a romantic saying on them: “I only have one burning desire.”

I passed them by, but only later realized exactly why the price was so low: I’m pretty sure the line in the song is actually “I have only one burning desire.”

Even better! Now I’m hoping there are still some of these offbeat – wrong – Jimi Hendrix souvenirs at Sea-Tac next time I pass through.

In the meantime, I’ll present to you another candidate for the “Chocolate Souvenir Poop Hall of Fame.”  Seems like every airport has its own localized version of this sweet.

SEA-TAC airport souvenir

Have you found a great souvenir at an airport gift shop? If it’s inexpensive (around $10), “of” the city or region and, ideally, a bit offbeat, please snap a photo and send it along.  If your souvenir is featured on Souvenir Sunday, I’ll send you a special airport or airline souvenir.