Raleigh has been selected as one of the Top 10 “Tastiest Towns in the South” by Southern Living magazine. The editorial staff is letting readers and others ultimately choose the winning town. We hope that residents will rally around our hometown and vote for Raleigh from today through Jan. 31 at southernliving.com/tasty. The list is announced in the January 2012 issue, hitting newsstands now.

At Southern Living, they know that Southerners take great pride in their hometown flavors, so their editors and Test Kitchen Professionals gathered to roundup the most delicious destinations across the region. They will profile each town then announce the ultimate winner in the April2012 issue. Southern Living editors chose the top 10 towns including Raleigh based on the following criteria:
Food as a cultural identity: The unique food or ethnicity that defines a Southern region
Growth of a culinary-minded community: The influence that the culinary industry has on the local community and tourism
Diverse cuisine at a variety of price points: Accessibility to flavorful meals at any budget
Local, sustainable food practices: The focus on sourcing products from local purveyors to geographically define where each meal comes from
Hot chefs on the rise: The influence of the area’s culinary talent in the media and pop culture
Abundance of buzz-worthy food events: The number of festivals in the area that celebrate all things food and drink

So visit www.southernliving.com/tasty and vote for Raleigh and spread the word!

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Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau
421 Fayetteville Street; Suite 1505 • Raleigh, North Carolina 27601-2995
www.visitRaleigh.com | visit@visitRaleigh.com | Toll-free: 1.800.849.8499 | Direct: 919.834.5900

This November 26 is a big day for everyone at Road Trip Private Transportation. It’s the second annual Small Business Saturday®, when people across the country come out and shop to support their favorite local businesses. American Express is offering a special incentive: a $25 statement credit offer for Cardmembers who register their Card and spend $25 or more at any qualifying small business that accepts the American Express Card. Road Trip Private transportation is also offering 20% off to costumers that make their reservations on Saturday November 26.

Don’t forget to “Like” and recommend us on Facebook at facebook.com/roadtriprdu.

By: Terrence Boykin

Holiday season is here once again. Great food, family, football and crowded airports. The staff at Road Trip wants to make sure your travel is as stress free as possible.

1 – Wednesday is the Big Day. At Thanksgiving, Wednesday is the critical outbound “avoid” day as a rule. Traveling on Thanksgiving day is often a breeze and more affordable; there are often cut-rate airfare deals on Thanksgiving day. For a return flight, Friday morning isn’t bad at all, with each successive day getting a little busier, more difficult and more expensive through Sunday evening. The bottom line: If you are looking for a deal, you won’t find one on the peak travel days. Travel off-peak whenever possible.

2 - Book early. Fares will only rising as Thanksgiving approaches and the same goes for the Christmas holiday; book sooner rather than later, particularly if you require very specific travel dates or times.

3- TSA rules. Don’t forget the TSA rules about liquids and gels.You may bring liquids and gels in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers, packed within a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. If you want to bring more than the 3.4-ounce amount, you’ll have to pack the items in your checked luggage.

4 – Leave early and pack wisely. During peak travel times, much of the trouble you’ll face lies on this side of the security check-in, from traffic jams and full parking lots to absent shuttles and long lines. Try to fit everything in your carry-on without having to check any baggage.

5- Save money and avoid stress. Save money on long term parking by checking other transportation options or hiring a car service to drop and pick up at the airport. If you decide to drive yourself gas up the night before you travel; no one leaves enough time for buying gas on the way to the airport.

6 -Bring diversions. Take along work, books, magazines, an MP3 player, some healthy snacks — whatever you need to get through delays. This goes double when traveling with kids.

7- Know who to call. Make sure you have phone numbers for everything: your hotel, your car rental agency, your airline, friends at your destination.

8- Choose nonstop flight. You especially need to do this when traveling with children. The worst, most brutal delays occur in connecting airports, where you have no home, friends or family to retreat to.

9- Remember the small things. Make sure you have your identification. Charge cell phones and iPods and  bring chargers along for use at your destination. Take a look at the weather forecast for your arrival airport so that you can dress appropriately.  Bring extra cash to trip sky caps and for taxis that might not accept credit cards.

10- Keep kids safe. Purchase a seat for every passenger. If needed use a Harness or preferably a stroller to keep toddlers near- parents and kids are easily distracted in airports. Also respect that some people may not like kids, may not have kids, and may not want them. Basic respect for boundaries is the way to keep the peace.

We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday season. If we can be of any help please visit us at  http://www.callroadtrip.com/ or call 919-584-5894.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Holiday travel Fun Facts

• 40 percent of Americans plan to travel this holiday season
• 64 percent of them will travel to see family
• 2 percent will travel to avoid seeing family
• 88 percent will stay in the United States
• 74 percent will drive $1,800: average travel spending for family of four

Source: American Express Travel

With all the talk of E.coli and Norovirus (GI upset with diarrhea), I thought it high time to teach everyone how nurses are taught to wash and rinse their hands. To read more go to http://rutledgenursing.com/blog/

If you live in North Carolina your plans for Thanksgiving Day celebrations might invariably include the fine Southern tradition of Deep Fried Turkey. So when I got the email from my local U-Haul dealer thanking me for being a “loyal U-Haul customer this year” and the subject read “Oil-Less Propane Turkey Fryers at U-Haul for Thanksgivng” (typo included) it got me thinking about a conversation I had last year with my friend Don Fuller who happens to be my North Carolina Farm Bureau Agent.

Go here to read the full article  http://theraleighmortgageguy.com/2011/11/14/deep-fried-turkey-safety-tips/

Road Trip Private Transportation is offering a friendly designated driver for hire service for you and your car in the Raleigh-Durham Area. We will send out two of our Road Trip Team members to get you and your car home safely. This service ensures you will never again deal with the hassle and inconvenience of getting your car the next day.

• Is this for a wedding, concert, prom, birthday party or maybe an anniversary,
• Number of people
• Number of hours you’ll need
• How far you’re going.
• Starting Address
• Ending Address

The more details you can provide, the better the value and service you’ll receive.