LivINN Hotels

When Shopping for the Holidays, or any time of year, the places are this list are the places you need to go!

Newport on the Levee                                                           

One Levee Way
Newport, KY 41071
1-866-LeveeKY

A jewel on Northern Kentucky’s riverfront, the Levee features 12 restaurants, over 20 unique shopping venues, a comedy club, a live blues club, a live cabaret, 20 stadium-style AMC movie theaters, the Newport Aquarium, street performers, live bands and an excitement that has made the Levee one of the top entertainment and shopping destinations in the region. Rated the No. 1 Shopping/Mall Attraction for Families in the United States by Zagat, May 2004.
Hours: Sept. 1 through Memorial Day — Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Memorial Day through Sept. 1 — Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.

Findlay Market

Race & Elder streets
Cincinnati, OH, 45202
513-665-4839

One of the oldest open-air marketplaces in the nation, Findlay Market has been in continuous operation since 1852. It is famous for its fresh produce and meats.
Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Monday & Tuesday. (Contact individual vendors for availability on these days).

Jungle Jim’s

5440 Dixie Hwy.
Fairfield, OH 45014
513-674-6000

Six acres of food under one roof — it’s not a supermarket, it’s a zoo-permarket! An international mecca, Jungle Jim’s offers thousands of imported and national brand groceries: 10,000 wines, 1,000 beers, 1,600 cheeses, 1,000 kinds of hot sauce, one full acre of produce (including organic and international). If it’s edible,…

The Mall of America, Bloomington 

It’s the biggest mall in the country and attracts 40 million visitors annually, and is one of the largest tourist attractions in America. But it’s so vast that it never seems too crowded. As well as over 520 stores, there’s the Nickelodeon Universe theme park, an aquarium and several other permanent and temporary attractions. The Hiawatha Light Rail goes to the Mall of America, assuming that you think you’ll be able to manage all your purchases on the train.

Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis

Best known for local, independent stores and cafes selling produce, baked goods and groceries from around the world, the Midtown Global Market also has several stores selling art, jewelry and clothing from Norway, India, Kenya and more.

Gaviidae Common Mall and Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis

Downtown Minneapolis’ shopping is centered on the Nicollet Mall. A varied selection of independent and chain stores, mainly lifestyle and fashion stores, inhabit the lower levels of the skyscrapers, and with many luxury retailers gathered inside art deco mall Gaviidae Common.

The flagship Macy’s store is at 700 Nicollet Mall. (Note to visitors: many locals still refer to this store as Dayton’s, after Macy’s long-gone predecessor.)

Rosedale Center, Roseville

Just north of St. Paul in the city of Roseville, the Rosedale Center has plenty of stores to keep mall rats happy for hours. Parking is usually easier than at Mall of America and it has many of the same stores, so it’s…

This past week there was the Back to the 50′s Car show at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds. I was having an amazing time, but when I looked around, I thought to myself “gosh I wish it was time for the fair.”

This is nothing against the Car Show – but come on, guys the Minnesota State Fair just can’t be topped. All I want right now is some of that sweet corn and Sweet Martha’s cookies. Delectable’s that can’t be found, or topped, any where else.

But enough about cars and lets talk about food.  You haven’t tasted genuine American cuisine until you’ve eaten your supper on a stick.

Candied apples and corn dogs have long reigned as the most famous of all stick foods, and for good reason: Handles on hot dogs and caramel-soaked apples make it easy to eat and much less messy. But the Minnesota State Fair has raised the food-on-a-stick shtick to a veritable culinary art form

This year’s offerings include (but by no means are limited to): pizza on a stick; hot dish (as Midwestern casseroles are called) on a stick; alligator sausage on a stick; chocolate dipped nut roll on a stick; fried fruit on a stick; frozen key lime pie on a stick; salmon on a stick; and fried pickles on a stick.

The best thing I found to eat: walleye on a stick.

Walleye on a stick is an impaled 2-inch-wide rectangular fillet. Mild, sweet, lightly fried and falling into big juicy flakes, it proved to be one of the best things I would sample all day.

Now that Memorial Day has passed, we’ve entered the part of the year that the media likes to call the “unofficial start of summer.” With our recent heat wave, I think it’s safe to drop the “unofficial” moniker, regardless of what the calendar says. Heat and humidity don’t wait around for the summer solstice. It’s already here.

Summer, of course, is all about roadtrips. Here are some helpful* tips, tricks, and observations to remember before you hit the road. (Note: I might define “helpful” different than you do.)

1. The more you drive to your destination, the greater your chances of experiencing a freak disaster that the local newspaper will describe as “unprecedented” and “once in a lifetime.” My suggestion: Don’t buy any newspapers while on vacation.

2. On a rural road with very little traffic, you can expect to meet an oncoming car at every one-lane bridge, even if no other cars are on the road for miles. You might as well just plan on stopping as soon as you see a “ONE LANE BRIDGE” sign.

3. If you see an excellent parking spot that isn’t occupied, it’s probably too good to be true. Make sure it isn’t a handicapped parking spot with faded paint and no sign.

4. When looking for a restaurant in a tourist town, try to figure out which places are the most popular with the locals, as these are often the best choices. Counting the number of in-state license plates in the parking lot can be a good clue. However, if you stand out like an obvious tourist, be sure to check your bill carefully…

In order to get the most out of my travel dollars, I tend to be a bit thrifty, even when on vacation.  However, protecting your pocket-book may have the wrong impact on your trip.  If you are like me and most other travelers, you been cutting coupons and brewing your own coffee to get to your destination of choice.  Once on vacation it is time to loosen the purse strings and enjoy yourself because memories are priceless.  Here are a few pieces of advice that may cost you more but will be well worth the expense in the end.  For those who still insist on frugality, I have included ways to live the high-life and still save a little to put back in the vacation fund.

Meals

Make sure that you experience some of the local cuisine at your destination of choice.  If you live in a “fly-over” state (like Minnesota), I would encourage you to try some seafood when vacationing in coastal areas.  A nice seafood meal may run you $50 or $60 but when else are you going to have the opportunity eat fresh caught ocean swordfish?

Money Saver:  Pick a hotel that offers a continental breakfast. This will save on average $10 per day, per person.

Lodging

When making your lodging choice, make sure that you are doing more than simply booking the least expensive room on your favorite internet travel site.  Often times the least expensive hotel is priced that way for a reason.  Trip Advisor has travelers’ reviews for you to read, and I suggest that you do.  If you are traveling with your kids you will want to ensure that it is a place that they will enjoy.