General Chat

Helen, We have just come back from Hawaii this is what I found when booking through Expedia.com we paid in $'s to go from here (ok I know its a lot further) but to go from the UK they wanted in pounds what we paid in dollars. Remember the pound is really strong nearly 2 dollars to the pound, so you might be best to book direct with the hotel with a UK cvredit card. Believe me you save money. I have a UK CC and an American bank account and it makes sense for me to pay big items in pounds and then pay that off than the other way around. Hope this helps. I would also keep an eye on the weather - its not too great at the moment with the snow forecast. Debs x

Yeah, I forgot to add, you don't know what cold is until you've been to Boston. When it gets cold it also gets super windy and it's a killer. I had to buy a whole new wardrobe for the winter. Keep an eye on the forecast and pack accordingly. http://www.weather.*com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/USMA0046?from=search_10day Rose

n n n n Nudge Claire xxx

Debs, good tip, I was looking at the hotels' own websites so will be paying in dollars. And I was wondering how cold it will be so thank-you all for your help. I'll send you all a postcard!!

Hi Boston is great city to visit we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast (google boston b&b there are loads) and were able to walk in to the center or use public transport. the Boston Duck tours are great fun way to see the sites and a trip on the Charles river www(.)bostonducktours(.)com enjoy your visit Sue

Anyone think we should tell her about Filenes Basement! Filene's Basement - Boston - YelpFilene's Basement Reviews - 'Forget Saks, Neimans and Sephora (Oh my, did I just say that?)! Filene's Basement has a great selection of men's and women's ... www.yelp.com/biz/O7MoEihwkbulznrTpCEEzA

The Vault: the first place I go when looking for something fancy. It's where you can get designer gear at sample sale prices. Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Barneys, Alberta Ferretti, Chanel, D&G. You'll find it there. The only other place you'll find so many names in one spot is probably Louis Boston, but really do you want to pay full price for last season's dress? Yes, it can be crowded; yes, it is extremely messy; yes, you're waiting for 20 minutes for a coveted mirror in the boundary-less fitting room. However, what has me always returning are the most unbelievable deals. Dana Buchman blue cropped sweater: $25. Via Spiga black cashmere/wool blend extra long peacoat with leather trim: $91 (originally $700). Citizens of Humanity 7- jeans cropped pencil leg: $20. Cable & Gauge sweater jackets, long sleeve work tops: $3.50 I luckily found all of these purchases soon after the discounted 75% off. You can too, if you have the mindset to search and the afternoon to do it. Happy pickings! steals: *skip the shoes & vacation & purses *head for the lingerie (CK & wonderbra selection around $10) *automatic discount racks in women's or in junior's department (if you're small enough) *watches, coats & dresses - strong selection OK, I've been shopping at Filene's Basement since I was a kid and my grandmother would take me downtown for a summer day adventure. Pay attention to the date marked on the price tag, the longer the item has been on the racks the cheaper the discount. You can't have too many particulars in mind here when you come shopping because that's not what bargain hunting is about but I am certain that you'll find something that will make it worth while, if and only if you like to shop. LIVE for the basement--the Vault specifically. While tons of stuff in Filene's (basement--who goes to the store? it's so bad it's bankrupt) is pretty cheap-o to begin with (Nautica, Calvin Klein, Jones New York) there are plenty of real designer bargains to make it worth your while. Head straight for the vault in the back of the lower basement--this is where they keep the half price D&G, Prada, etc. Stopping by about once a month ensures you can catch any big shipments from a particular designer. This is the only way a normal income person like me could own most of this stuff, and any dressing room or crowd inconvenience is totally worth it.

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What a great city! We have been home about a week and had a great time. It was VERY cold but we saw all the sights - the Kennedys' church, Quincy Market, the Holocaust memorial, the Aquarium of New England, the Science Museum, Harvard Uni, lots of restaurants, the 'T', the Charles River (frozen solid), the ocean, The JF Kennedy aircraft carrier, passing through, the USS Constitution, the USS Cassin Young, I could go on and on. We all got a horrible dose of flu but found a few hundred rellies including a bishop, and what a lovely place to visit. Much recommended!! Thank-you to everyone who helped us with our trip.