San Francisco Booking Strategies

After a decade as an IBM management consultant, Belgian native Thomas DeGeest quit his corporate job in 2007 to bring a taste of his homeland to the Big Apple. DeGeest's bright yellow Wafels & Dinges truck serves two types of Belgian waffles: fluffy, rectangular Brussels-style waffles, from the northern part of the country; and chewier, round liège waffles, from the southern part. Through the truck's large front window, you can watch the waffles being made in large, cast-iron presses. Dress your waffles with dinges (Belgian slang for "toppings") like Nutella, Belgian chocolate, fresh strawberries and bananas, whipped cream, and spekuloos (a creamy cinnamon-ginger sauce). Or, order your waffle as DeGeest gets his—with just a light sprinkling of powdered sugar, so you can really savor the pastry. Tip: Check Wafels & Dinges's Twitter feed or call to learn the daily password or trivia question that will give you one free dinges. Various locations in Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check twitter.com/waffletruck or call 866/429-7329 for updates. From $3. wafelsanddinges.com. New York City may be the country's unofficial cupcake capital, but Lev Ekster, a recent New York Law School graduate, wasn't impressed with the local offerings. He felt that he often waited on long lines at the big name bakeries for subpar cupcakes. Convinced that he could shake up the cupcake scene, Ekster shelved his fledgling legal career to start CupcakeStop, which works the Flatiron District and other pedestrian-heavy neighborhoods. Baker Manal Mady's airy red velvet and rich Oreo crumb cupcakes are the truck's staples. The menu rotates quirky flavors, such as the Elvis (banana and peanut butter), strawberry shortcake, peanut butter and jelly, and Key lime. 5th Ave. between 22nd and 23rd Sts., 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., 23rd St. between 7th and 8th Aves., 6 p.m.–10 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, though locations are subject to change. Check twitter.com/cupcakestop for updates. $1–$2.25. cupcakestop.com. When Johnpaul Perrone launched the rice ball truck Papa Perrone's last year, he wasn't even sure there'd be a market for his Sicilian speciality. He only knew that he had been making rice balls with his mother's recipe for years, and for almost as long, friends and family had urged him to start a business. Luckily for Perrone, his loved ones' intuitions proved correct. The softball-sized concoctions—popular with Midtown's office workers and tourists—come stuffed with meatballs, three cheeses, or spinach and cheese. Despite their size, they're surprisingly light; Perrone "flash fries" the rice balls in extra virgin olive oil and then lightly bakes them to ensure a slightly crispy crust. Papa Perrone's menu also includes baked ziti, pizza, and meatball, chicken, and eggplant parmesan heroes. 55th St. between Madison and Park Aves., 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Rice balls from $4, other menu items from $1.50. papaperrone.com. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. six days a week, NYC Cravings churns out heaping plates of hearty Taiwanese snacks. The lunchtime combos feature one large piece of fried meat (chicken, a pork chop, or tianbula, a Taiwanese fish cake) topped with "secret pork sauce" and served on a bed of white rice with a side of pickled cabbage. Steamed pork and vegan dumplings are also available most days. Though NYC Cravings is owned and operated by 20-somethings Thomas Yang, Diana Yang, and Eric Yu, the culinary prowess of the Yang family is present in every dish. The secret pork sauce comes from the Yangs' grandmother, and the Yangs' uncle, Steven Yang, a chef who was trained in Taiwan and America, works behind the scenes beforehand to prepare and marinate the meats. Various locations in midtown and downtown Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Sunday through Friday. Check twitter.com/nyccravings for updates. $3–$8. nyccravings.com. If it weren't for the iconic rainbow-ice-cream banner, you might mistake the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck for a standard Mister Softee. But what the truck lacks in looks, it more than makes up in personality—from its toppings to its operator. The Big Gay Ice Cream Man is Doug Quint, who is a doctor of musical arts candidate with a specialty in bassoon and a freelance musician who has performed with the Boston Pops and the Brooklyn Philharmonic. In his truck, he's quick with witty quips and more than happy to load up cones and cups with premium toppings like cayenne pepper, wasabi pea dust, and olive oil and sea salt. Quint's signature cone is vanilla ice cream topped with dulce de leche and crushed Nilla wafers. Splurge on the "choinkwich," a special treat that only appears on the menu once a week: a few pieces of brown-sugar-and-maple-syrup-caramelized bacon sandwiched between chocolate soft serve and two chocolate cookies. Various days and locations in Manhattan; the truck will operate through October. Check twitter.com/biggayicecream for updates. From $3. biggayicecreamtruck.com. With a vibrant wraparound mural depicting brilliant blue skies and rolling green mountains, the La Cense Beef Burger Truck brings a bit of Big Sky Country to Midtown's busy streets. This truck is an outpost of a Montana ranch of the same name. There, cattle graze on 88,000 acres of land before...well, you know what happens next. At La Cense, there's only one thing on the menu: black Angus grass-fed beef burgers topped with caramelized onions and, for an extra 50 cents, cheese. The six-ounce patties are thick and juicy, but fans of rare or well-done burgers may be disappointed: La Cense's burgers only come medium. Various midtown locations, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Check twitter.com/lcbburgertruck for updates. $7. lacensebeef.com.

How To Enter Online Send an e-mail from a valid e-mail account to the following address: italytrip@budgettravel.com. Be sure to include the following information: a. Full name b. Address c. Telephone number (we will only call you if you win) d. E-mail address (we will only e-mail you if you win) By sending an e-mail, you are indicating that you have read and agree to the sweepstakes rules, listed below. OFFICIAL "8 Days of Wine & Chocolate in Italy" SWEEPSTAKES RULES 1. Sweepstakes Description. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., the publisher of Budget Travel, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, New York, NY 10018 ("Sponsor"). The sweepstakes begins on July 27, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. EST and ends on September 30, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. EST (the "Sweepstakes Period"). Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST September 30, 2009. Sweepstakes is void where prohibited. By entering, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these sweepstakes rules. 2. Eligibility. No purchase or participation in a sales call or group presentation is necessary to enter or win. A purchase or participation in a sales call or group presentation will not increase your chances of winning. This sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the forty-eight continental United States, including the District of Columbia, who are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees of Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., and Foreign independent Tours, Inc. 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 sweepstakes. Acceptance of prize is subject to the policies and rules or restrictions of winner's employer. 3. How to Enter. There are two ways to enter this sweepstakes. First, individuals who schedule and complete a sales call or in-person group presentation with sales representatives of Budget Travel during the Sweepstakes Period will automatically be entered into the sweepstakes drawing. Individuals will receive one entry for each in-person group presentation scheduled and completed during the Sweepstakes Period. Second, individuals can log on to http://www.budgettravel.com/italytrip and complete the online entry form. All online entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 30, 2009 in order to qualify. Multiple entries per person are allowed. All entries become the property of Sponsor, and Sponsor reserves the right to use any information submitted by entrants. 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. Sponsor is not 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. For online entries, 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 sweepstakes 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 sweepstakes. 4. Prize. One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded. The Grand Prize will be a six (6) night trip to Italy for the Grand Prize Winner and one guest. Grand Prize Winner's guest must be 21 years of age or older. The Grand Prize includes: round-trip coach-class airfare for two (2) from a major commercial airport in the continental US near the Grand Prize Winner's home to Rome, Italy; double occupancy accommodations for six (6) nights; ground transportation within Italy; 8 meals; and sightseeing with an English-speaking guide. Sponsor shall, in its sole discretion, determine the airport the Grand Prize Winner and his or her guest shall travel from, the airline and flight itinerary, and the type of accommodation provided. The Grand Prize Winner must take the trip between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010, and must schedule the trip at least 45 days prior to travel. In the event that the Grand Prize Winner is unable to travel between November 1, 2009 and October 31, 2010, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. The Grand Prize Winner must coordinate with Sponsor regarding the date that the Grand Prize Winner wishes to travel. The Grand Prize Winner and his or her travel companion must travel together on the same itinerary. Once booked by Sponsor, the Grand Prize Winner may not change the dates of travel. Actual travel dates are subject to Sponsor's discretion and conditions outside of Sponsor's control. Travel, including seat selection, and accommodations are subject to availability and blackout periods. Other restrictions may also apply. Sponsor is not responsible for airline or hotel cancellations or delays. The Grand Prize may not be combined with any other offer. The approximate retail value of the Grand Prize is U.S. $4,750. Actual retail value may vary depending on the point of departure and fare fluctuation. Any difference between actual retail value and approximate retail value will not be awarded. All expenses and incidental costs not expressly specified herein as part of the Grand Prize (including, but not limited to, personal charges at lodging, tips, insurance, fees, airport transfers, taxes, additional meals, alcohol and other expenses) are not included and are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner and his or her travel companion. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated, or stolen tickets, travel vouchers, or certificates. No 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. 5. How the Prizes are Awarded. Random selection of the winner will occur on or around September 30, 2009 from among all eligible entries received. One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by e-mail or phone on or about September 30, 2009. In the event that any prize notification or attempted notification e-mail is returned as undeliverable, or if any attempted notification by phone 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 a prize. Winner and travel companion must have a valid U.S. passport at time of travel. Winner is subject to verification by Sponsor, whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the sweepstakes. 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. Winner and the 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 Winner's forfeiture of the prize, and Sponsor reserves the right to randomly select an alternate winner from among the remaining eligible entries. 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 sweepstakes, 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. Winner(s) 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. Winner agrees to the use of his or her name and likeness in publicity without any additional compensation (except where prohibited). By entering this sweepstakes, 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 sweepstakes, each entrant forever discharges, releases, and holds harmless the Sponsor, Foreign independent Tours, Inc., and each of their parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability, claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits, and demands of any kind arising from or in connection with the sweepstakes, including, without limitation, responsibility for property damage, loss of life, or personal injury resulting from or in connection with participating in the sweepstakes or from or in connection with use or receipt of the prize, however caused. 9. Sponsor's Reservation of Rights. These Official Rules are subject to modification 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 cancel, terminate, or modify this sweepstakes if, for any reason, the sweepstakes is not capable of completion as planned, including 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 sweepstakes. 10. List of Winner. For a list of winner, send a self-addressed stamped envelope after October 15, 2009 to Budget Travel, Attn: 8 Days of Wine & Chocolate in Italy Sweepstakes, 530 Seventh Avenue, Second Floor, NY, NY 10018.

7- TO 10-YEAR-OLDS Many state and national parks offer ranger-led experiences geared toward grade-schoolers. For example, Junior Ranger programs allow youngsters to complete a set of activities during their park visit under the direction of an adult ranger. Participants receive an official Junior Ranger badge or patch and a certificate. Call your park to find out if it runs this program. If it doesn't, the National Wildlife Federation suggests some do-it-yourself activities, such as planning a nature scavenger hunt, telling campfire ghost stories, and asking your kids to identify the night sounds as you all fall asleep. Find more ideas at greenhour.org. Suggested activities and parks: Tidepooling, or searching for crustaceans (such as crabs and starfish). This activity can be fun anywhere that there's a substantial body of water. Some fantastic national parks for tidepooling are Acadia National Park, Me.; Cabrillo National Monument, Calif.; and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii. Fishing. This is available at many state parks. Within the national park system, try: North Cascades National Park Service Complex, Wash.; Everglades National Park, Fla.; and Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Mo. Be sure to call ahead for the latest rules and regulations. Otherwise you may get fined for fishing out of season or without a state license. Riding horses and mules. Outings can be booked at Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz.; Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky. (same-day reservations only); Palo Duro Canyon State Park, in the Texas panhandle; and Glacier National Park, Mont., among other parks. 11- TO 14-YEAR-OLDS With this age group, you can take it up a notch. Appeal to your tween's innate competitiveness and curiosity by seeing if they'd like to try caving, rock climbing, or cross-country skiing. Suggested activities and parks: Caving. A guide leads you through narrow, pre-explored passages, where lamplight reveals unusual insects and rock formations. Available in Mammoth Cave National Park, Ky.; Sequoia National Park, Calif.; and Wind Cave National Park, S.D. Rock climbing. Teen-scalable rock faces can be found in such national parks as Joshua Tree National Park, Calif., and Custer State Park, S.D.—plus at state and national parks throughout New England. But only a handful of parks have experts who offer guidance, control the ropes, and insist on safe practices. For example, the final 400 feet of the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, Calif., is scalable by inexperienced but fit climbers using steel cables. Call ahead to see if help is available or if you'll need to book a guided excursion with a private outfitter. Cross-country skiing. Try Catoctin Mountain Park, Md.; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colo.; and Yellowstone National Park. (Note: While Yellowstone spans three states, most of its cross-country skiing trails are in Wyoming.) 15- TO 18-YEAR-OLDS They're probably more capable physically than you are, and more eager to take on challenges. Let them test their mettle in the wilderness. Ask them to prepare a few meals by themselves. You might even consider booking teens a separate, adjoining tent site, to give them some privacy and independence. Suggested activities and parks: Mountain climbing. Aim high, at peaks like Mount Katahdin at Baxter State Park, Maine, and the Chimney Tops in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn. White-water rafting. Build your teen's confidence by tapping into his or her thrill-seeking side. Call your local park to find out if it has beginnerlevel rapids, such as the one on the southern (a.k.a. upper) part of New River Gorge, W.Va. Snorkeling. Have your kids play aquanaut by donning masks to explore a park's narrow shore bed. Call the ranger at your local lakeside park to find a spot suitable for beginners. To illustrate, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wis., features fish darting around the spooky wreck of the Noquebay, lying beneath about 15 feet of clear water. Rent a charter service in nearby Bayfield to take your kids the quarter mile from the shore of Stockton Island. Volunteering. Many high schools now have public-service requirements, and some camping areas have volunteer opportunities, such as taking a senior citizen for a walk. Your teen might be able to combine a family trip with a volunteer experience. Contact the National Wildlife Federation for details. Wilderness skills training. Challenge your teens to brush up on their outdoorsmanship under the guidance of pros. There are orienteering trails in some parks, where your teen can sleuth out control points by use of map and compass alone. Orienteering courses teach the necessary skills and are run either by park rangers, field schools, or nonprofit institutes. For example, Prince William Forest Park, Va., provides reservation-only introductions to orienteering courses led by rangers. A similar program is at Canyonlands National Park, Utah.

On paper, choosing a cruise cabin seems pretty simple. There are four basic styles: insides (no window), outsides (with window), balcony, and suite. But booking a stateroom is not a snap. Even though there are just four room styles, cruise lines divvy them into as many as 20 price categories. A cabin's location, size, and amenities determine the price, which generally increases the higher, bigger, and more deluxe you go. The trick is figuring out what's worth paying extra for, and that depends on your priorities. If you don't plan to spend much time in your cabin, feel free to book the cheapest price you can find. But if you think of your stateroom as a retreat, proceed carefully and avoid these not-so-ideal scenarios. A CABIN THAT'S TOO SMALL Cruise cabins are designed for maximum efficiency, so they're generally more than adequate as long as you're neat and you haven't overpacked. Some cabins, however, are just plain miniscule. Rooms on older vessels can be as little as 100 square feet, particularly for inside cabins. If this is your home for a week, you might feel like an inmate in a cell. When looking at cabin measurements, note that cruise lines often include the veranda in the overall square footage. A balcony cabin on Celebrity Summit, for example, may look about average size at 208 square feet, but that factors in 38 square feet of veranda. The cabin itself measures just 170 square feet. So the advice is: Think hard before booking a cabin that's extraordinarily small—say, one that's less than 150 square feet, not including the veranda. What to ask a travel agent: What's the square footage of the cabin? Does that figure include a veranda? A CABIN THAT'S TOO LOUD A ship's deck plans, available at each cruise line's website, are easily readable, like this one for the Carnival Ecstasy. It's important to check what's below, above, and around the corner from the cabin you're considering. Avoid anything right under the lido buffet, as meals are served nearly around-the-clock. Unless you plan to close the ship's late-night disco, don't book a stateroom nearby. If your cabin is just below the pool deck, your morning wakeup call could be the scraping sound of chaise lounges being dragged into position. Cabins on lower decks are cheaper largely because guests have to put up with the hum of propellers. The best bet is to choose a cabin that has staterooms above and below it—and then cross your fingers that the neighbors in every direction aren't rowdy night owls. What to ask a travel agent: How noisy will the cabin be? Are there restaurants, discos, pools, or public areas nearby that'll keep me up at night? A CABIN WITH A LESS-THAN-STELLAR VIEW Every outside cabin pretty much looks out on a similar sea-and-sky vista, but there are some notable differences. Most are located either port or starboard, so you're always looking sideways. A front-facing stateroom lets you see where you're heading, but also takes the brunt of wind and rough seas—the big reason why these cabins rarely come with balconies. Backward-facing cabins boast the best views. There's something incredibly Zen-like about gazing at the wake and the panorama behind the ship. Backward-facing cabins are hard to come by because most cruise lines devote that part of the ship to public spaces. Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises are among the lines that regularly have backward-facing cabins. What to ask a travel agent: What's the view like? Can I get a better view for the same money? A CABIN THAT FEELS LIKE GRAND CENTRAL STATION Many passengers prefer centrally-located cabins because they're close to stairways, elevators, pools, and buffets. Still, there's such a thing as too central a location. Stateroom doors are absurdly flimsy, so you'll hear pretty much everything going on outside. There is no truly quiet corner of a cruise ship. But it's smart to avoid lower deck cabins that are close to the ship's atriums—the extravagantly designed openings, often several stories high, attract a lot of foot traffic. In a cabin around the corner from an atrium, you'll hear the hordes milling or power walking past your door from dawn to dusk. What to ask a travel agent: How close is the cabin to the ship's atriums? Is the cabin on the main walking path for people disembarking or reboarding the ship? A CABIN THAT'LL MAKE YOU SICK Newer ships have all sorts of nifty stabilizers that try to tame the sea and give passengers a smoother ride. Most people feel fine, even during mildly rough seas. But if you are unusually sensitive to movement, you may want to forego the higher decks. The higher you go, the more likely you'll get not only back and forth (or side to side) rocking, but will also feel an unsettling swaying effect. Stick to the center, the most stable part of the ship, and by all means avoid any stateroom within a dozen cabins of the front. What to ask a travel agent: I'm worried about getting sick if the seas get rocky. Can you book me in a cabin in the most stable location? Carolyn Spencer Brown is the editor in chief of CruiseCritic.com.