A DIY "Top Chef" Tour of New York City

Beer Tote ($20) and Tokens (6 for $20), Brooklyn Brewery The tokens used for buying beers at this brewery's popular happy hour make an easy souvenir, and so do the coasters. While you're here you can also check other good mementoes at the small gift shop, including a light but sturdy case for carrying six bottles of the local product. 79 North 11th St., Brooklyn, 718/486-7422, happy hour Friday at 6 p.m. Candy Bars ($9) and Peppermints ($4), Economy Candy This Lower East Side institution sells its own specially labeled candy, but its shelves brim with lots of other options, including Sugar Daddies, lollipops, chocolate-covered graham crackers, dried fruits and nuts, and harder-to-find sweets such as foil-wrapped chocolates of landmarks and candy cigarettes. 108 Rivington St., 800/352-4544. Coffee Mugs ($10), Fishs Eddy One popular line at this housewares store is made up of items covered with Manhattan's skyline. The design, 212, is named for the city's first and (still) most prestigious area code. If you've overloaded on Manhattan, try the "Brooklyn" pattern, or better yet, the "Brooklynese" designs—one mug has "Cawffee" written on it. Broadway at 19th St., 212/420-9020. Leather Wallet ($40), Off-the-Train Cuffs ($25), and Silver Jewelry ($25–52), The Market NYC The vendors at this weekend bazaar, held in a youth center on the edge of SoHo, do a good business selling handmade jewelry, purses, and racks and racks of clothes, most of it for women. Recent finds there include bracelets sculpted from vinyl records (from Wrecords by Monkey) and hand-cut sterling silver jewelry (by Elena Volovelsky). 268 Mulberry St., with another location at 490 Hudson St., open only on Sat. Subway T-shirts ($20), Wooden Trains ($10), and Subway Map Umbrella ($20), New York Transit Museum The no-nonsense design of the signs and letters in New York City's subway system were created in the late 1960s by the Unimark International design firm. You can take home the line of your choice by picking up one of these t-shirts. Housed in a former station from 1936, the New York Transit Museum also has an annex at Grand Central Terminal. Boerum Place and Schermerhorn St. Brooklyn, 718/694-1600. Grand Central Terminal, 87 E. 42nd. St., off the main concourse in the Shuttle Passage, 212/878-0106. Adrian Tomine Tote Bag ($11) and Red Tote Bag ($8), Strand Books The Strand's tote bags are a common sight around New York, especially when near this mammoth bookstore's headquarters, off of Union Square. 828 Broadway (at 12th St.), 212/473-1452. Black and White Cookies and Rugelach ($9 per package) and Coffee ($9 per pound), Zabar's Famed for bagels, coffee, cheese, smoked fish, sweets, and other New York specialties, this Upper West Side destination makes a great stop before a picnic in Central Park. 2245 Broadway at 80th St., 800/697-6301.

NOTE: This contest ended on Jan. 18, 2011. Click here to enter the Tanzania contest. 1. Contest Description. This contest is sponsored by Budget Travel LLC, the publisher of Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10018 ("Sponsor"). The contest begins on November 23, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. EST and ends on January 18, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. EST (the "Contest Period"). Entries must be received by 9:30 a.m. EST January 18, 2011. Contest is void where prohibited. By entering, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these contest rules. 2. Eligibility. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. This contest is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and its territories, except Arizona, who are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Budget Travel LLC, Hyundai Motor America ("Hyundai"), Foreign Independent Tours, and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and immediate family members or persons living in the same household of such individuals are not eligible to participate in this contest. Acceptance of prize is subject to the policies and rules or restrictions of winner's employer. 3. How to Enter. You must be the registered subscriber of the e-mail account which you used to create your my Budget Travel account at the time of entry. To enter a photo in the contest, log in to my Budget Travel and upload your photo. Your first five (5) photo submissions submitted during the Entry Period will be the only submissions that will be considered (i.e. no more than 5 entries total per person). Make sure you tag your photos "Tanzania volunteer vacation" (in quotes). Incomplete entries will not be accepted. All entries become the property of Budget Travel. By participating, entrants agree to these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements. Entries must be filled out completely and legibly in order to qualify, and will be void if they are, in whole or in part, incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, counterfeit, altered, or obtained through theft or fraud. No mechanically reproduced, software-generated or other automated multiple entries are permitted. Neither the Sponsor, Hyundai, their respective parents, nor respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, advertising and promotion agencies, or any telephone network or service providers is responsible for lost, late, illegible, misdirected or mutilated entries, including due to transmission, technical, and/or network failures of any kind, including, without limitation, malfunctioning of any hardware or software (whether originating with sender or Sponsor), telephonic failures, human error, or any other error or malfunction. The authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry will be considered the entrant. An "authorized account holder" shall mean the natural person assigned to such e-mail account by the Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with such e-mail account. A potential winner may be requested to provide proof that he or she is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with a winning entry. Entrants agree not to upload, post or transmit any materials which contain any computer viruses, Easter eggs, worms, Trojan Horses or other harmful component or programming routines that are intended to damage, detrimentally interfere with, surreptitiously intercept or expropriate any system, data or personal information. Any attempt to deliberately damage any web site or undermine the operation of the contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any person who makes such attempt(s). Entry materials that have been tampered with or altered are void. Any questions regarding the number of entries submitted by an individual or the authorized account holder of an e-mail address shall be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the contest. 4. Prize. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected for the best photo, as determined by the BudgetTravel.com editors, that also receives a high rating from the my Budget Travel community. The Grand Prize Winner will receive the "Tanzania Volunteer Vacation" prize package for winner and one (1) guest/travel companion, supplied by Foreign Independent Tours, which includes: - Two days at Saadani National Park - Two days volunteering at a public school - Two days on Zanzibar - Airport/land transfers - Accommodations - Meals - Spice tour - All government tax & levies - English speaking driver/guide - Domestic flights (Dar es Salaam-Zanzibar Round Trip) Exclusions: - International flights - Entry visas - Tips, drinks in hotels and lodges - All items of personal expenses/nature Trip must be booked at least sixty (60) days prior to departure or prize will be forfeited. Trip is subject to blackout dates and availability. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. The prize is valid February 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 or prize will be forfeited in its entirety. Estimated retail value of the prize package is $4,990.00. Actual value may vary based on airfare fluctuations, distance between departure and destination and dates of travel. Winner will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Airport taxes, customs fees and 9/11 security fees are additional and the responsibility of winner. Prize cannot be exchanged for cash. No prize transfer, assignment, or substitution is permitted. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded. Exact flight details, dates, times and terms to be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Grand Prize does not provide spending money; all expenses and incidental travel costs not expressly stated in the package description above, including but not limited to, ground transportation, meals, incidentals, gratuities, passenger tariffs or duties, surcharges, airport fees, service charges or facility charges, personal charges at lodging, security fees, taxes or other expenses are the responsibility solely of winner. Travel must be roundtrip. Sponsor will determine airline and flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. Travel and accommodations are subject to availability. Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Contest, and those set forth by the Sponsor's airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract. All travel companions must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older as of the date of departure and must travel on same itinerary and at the same time as the winner. Winner and guest are solely responsible for obtaining any required travel documents and travel insurance. Each travel companion must execute liability/publicity releases prior to issuance of tickets. Travel restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated, or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates. All taxes, fees and surcharges on any Contest prize are the sole responsibility of the winner of that prize. 5. How the Prizes are Awarded. Selection of the winner will occur on or about January 18, 2011 from among all eligible entries received. Winners will be notified by e-mail only on or about February 1, 2011. In the event that any prize notification or attempted notification e-mail is returned as undeliverable, or if any attempted notification by e-mail is not successful within seven (7) days, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. 6. Odds of Winning. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. 7. Conditions of Acceptance of Prize. Winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Driver's license or other appropriate picture identification is required to claim Grand Prize. Grand Prize Winner and travel companion must have a valid U.S. passport at time of travel. Grand Prize Winner is subject to verification by Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the contest. An entrant is not a winner of any prize unless and until entrant's eligibility has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete. In the event that winner is determined to be ineligible, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. Grand Prize Winner and the Grand Prize Winner's travel companion will be required to execute and return to Sponsor a release and affidavit of eligibility (except where prohibited) within fourteen (14) days of notice of winning; failure to timely execute and return such releases and affidavits (except where prohibited) may lead to Grand Prize Winner's forfeiture of the prize, and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. Grand Prize Winner will be solely responsible for any and all local, state, and federal taxes, as well as license and registration fees incurred by participating in the contest, including, but not limited to, transportation costs, gratuities and other items of an incidental nature. Sponsor will report any individual winnings over $600 (in cash or fair market value of goods or services) in a one year period to the Internal Revenue Service. Grand Prize Winner will receive a Form 1099 from Sponsor if Sponsor reports any winnings to the Internal Revenue Service. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or any other consideration. Grand Prize Winner agrees to the use of his or her name and likeness in publicity without any additional compensation (except where prohibited). By entering this contest, winner acknowledges that Sponsor has the right to publicize, by any medium, winner's name, voice, and likeness, the fact that he or she won, and all matters incidental thereto. 8. Limitation on Liability. By entering this contest, each entrant forever discharges, releases, and holds harmless Budget Travel LLC, Foreign Independent Tours, Hyundai and each of their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability, claims, losses, costs, expenses, damages, causes of action, suits, and demands of any kind arising from or in connection with the contest, including, without limitation, responsibility for property damage, loss of life, or personal injury resulting from or in connection with participating in the contest or from or in connection with use or receipt of the prize, however caused; or any claims related to or based on publicity rights, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright infringement, trademark infringement or any other intellectual property-related cause of action. 9. Sponsor's Reservation of Rights. These Official Rules are subject to modification at any time for any reason by Sponsor. In the event of a dispute, all decisions made by Sponsor are final and binding. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any person who tampers with the entry process or the operation of Sponsor's web site, or who otherwise acts in violation of these Official Rules. Sponsor further reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to rescind, cancel, terminate, or modify this contest in whole or in part, at any time, without notice or liability, for any reason, including, but not limited to, if the contest is not capable of completion as planned due to infection by computer virus, technical corruption, force majeure, or non-authorized human intervention that compromises or affects the administration, fairness, integrity, security, or proper conduct of the contest. 10. Name of Winner. For a name of winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope after February 1, 2011 to: Budget Travel, Attn: Tanzania Volunteer Vacation Contest, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, NY, NY 10018. Requests received more than sixty (60) days after February 1, 2011 will not be honored.

http://www.budgettravel.com/contest One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be selected for the best photo, as determined by the BudgetTravel.com editors, that also receives a high rating from the my Budget Travel community. The Grand Prize Winner will receive the "Los Cabos Vacation" prize package supplied by Solmar Hotels & Resorts and United Continental Holdings, Inc., which includes: - Roundtrip, coach airfare for two people (2) to Los Cabos International Airport, Baja Sur State, Mexico, on United from their Los Cabos non-stops Houston and Newark - 7 days/6 nights at the Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa Trip must be booked at least sixty (60) days prior to departure or prize will be forfeited. Trip is subject to blackout dates and availability. Travel must be round-trip. United Continental Holdings, Inc. will determine flight itinerary in its sole discretion. No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight. The award cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash. The prize is valid June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 or prize will be forfeited in its entirety. Subject to availability with prior reservation. Not valid during Christmas, New Year’s, President’s Week and Easter holiday, or the months of February or March, 2012. Estimated retail value of the prize package is $2,500. Actual value may vary based on airfare fluctuations, distance between departure and destination and dates of travel. Winner will not receive difference between actual and approximate retail value. Airport taxes, customs fees and 9/11 security fees are additional and the responsibility of winner. Prize may be exchanged for cash. No prize transfer, assignment, or substitution is permitted. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded.

STEPS Follow the simple steps listed below to upload your photo. 1. New users Join Budget Travel by completing the registration form. Once you complete the registration form, click the "join" button. Returning users Login to Budget Travel by entering your username and password. Note, if you are already logged in, skip to step two below. Click here if you forgot your password. 2. Successfully logged-in? How to submit a photo Option 1 You can add a photo from your Home Page. If you are a new member or an existing member and are logged in, this is the page you will see right after you register. To submit your photo, select the following tab: MY PHOTOS Option 2 You can also use our top navigation, place your mouse over the my Budget Travel tab in the navigation bar on BudgetTravel.com and select: Add a Photo 3. Invite your friends and family Boost your rating in the community. Click on the "my friends" tab to invite your friends and family to join. Encourage them to rate, view and post a comment on your entry. NOTE: Make sure you tag your photos "Los Cabos vacation" (in quotes) and you'll be all set! STILL CONFUSED? If you need more information, we've written out detailed instructions to guide you step by step. 1. How to submit a photo From your "my photos" page, click on the button "upload new photo". To get started, click on "browse" in the upload photo field and locate your photo to upload from your computer. Note, photos must be in JPG, GIF, or PNG format and less than 8MB in size. Next, type the title of your photo. Then, in the "Title Description" box enter a description of your photo. Where was the picture taken, whom were you with? Finally, in the "Want to Be Seen by Others? Tag It!" box, add any tags that describe your photo. Tags are words or short phrases that describe your media. Tagging your media makes it easier for other travelers to find. Separate tags with spaces, and use quotes to create multi-word tags (e.g.: diving hotels "family travel" "Costa Rica"). 2. How to edit a submission To edit a submission, select "my photos". The "my photos" page contains an option to edit a submission. Select the "edit" link below the entry and add your changes. Then, be sure to select the button "save edits". 3. How to create the perfect upload Here's our advice how To Upload a Photo the Right Way.