GeekSugar

Website of the Day: Whole Travel

GeekSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:40:50 PDT

As if money wasn't your biggest impediment to travel these days, now you have to worry what kind of footprint you're adding to the earth when you go somewhere. Research your responsible trip on Whole Travel, a website that offers a hub for your sustainable travel needs. Search from their website for hotels and airlines that promote sustainable practices, and once you've booked your trip, learn how to purchase carbon offsets to make up for your big stinky gallivanting.

It's not all responsibility and sustainability seriousness though - browse through other users' breathtaking vacation photos for inspiration or upload your own!

The Cold Light of Day Trailer: Henry Cavill Heads to Spain to Kick Butt

Lizzie Fuhr — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:29:47 PST

Get excited: the oh-so-dreamy Henry Cavill (that's the next Superman, in case you didn't know) brings his good looks to The Cold Light of Day trailer. In the film, Will (Cavill) and his family are traveling abroad and soaking up the sun in a beautiful seaside Spanish town for what appears to be a relaxing getaway. Everything changes when he runs out for a quick errand, and upon his return, he finds an empty boat and his whole family gone. We learn that his father (Bruce Willis) really works for the CIA, and someone has kidnapped the whole clan. Despite the fact that he has no training or plan, Will and his instinct ("his only weapon") attempt to save the day.

This movie may look like a million other movies we've seen before, but I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Henry Cavill is hot. I loved him in Immortals, and can't wait to see what he'll bring to this thriller. Plus, I'm glad to see him in such talented company, including Sigourney Weaver, who has a supporting role. To step into The Cold Light of Day and see a shirtless Cavill dive into the ocean, just keep reading.

4 Panoramic Apps to Stretch Photos To the Limit

Kelly Schwarze — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:30:22 PST

Ahhh, the Grand Canyon, an awe-inspiring wonder that begs to be photographed. One problem: the whole "grand" part; there's certainly a lot of canyon to capture. Record all the majesty of nature without missing a single speck by arming your phone with a bevy of panoramic camera apps. An effect you once haphazardly stitched together in a photo editing program is now achieved in seconds with these four panorama apps you should never start a vacation without.

AutoStitch ($2) - Using the traditional format of snapping multiple photos of a space - rather than the gyroscope setting used in the below three apps - allows this app to create hi-res images up to 18 MP. Stitch up to 40 images together for a stunning final panorama.
360 Panorama ($1) - In addition to quickly stitching photos, photos on this app are automatically uploaded into a your personal account on the 360 Panorama website, making them accessible anywhere, at any time.

Discover two more

10 Things You Do to Save Money That End Up Costing You More

Wise Bread — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:15:37 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

Have you heard of the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”? It’s something I heard a lot growing up, from my parents, and it can have multiple meanings:

You are very careful with small amounts of money, but throw caution to the wind with large amounts. This is akin to someone who eats from the dollar menu every day but then blows a hundred dollars every month on a gym membership that’s never used.
You do things to save money now, only to have those savings cost you more farther down the road.

The second definition is what I’m focusing on today, because it’s a lot easier to fall into the trap of saving money only to have it bite you later on. Here then are 10 things that you may be doing to save money that could actually cost you a lot more in the weeks, months, or years to come.

RELATED: The Case For Expensive Shoes

1. Avoiding Regular Checkups With the Doctor, Dentist, or Optician

It’s something I did in college when money was tight. “Aah, who needs to pay money to a dentist to have him tell me I should floss more?” Well, after leaving the dentist alone for a few years, I paid the price. Avoiding the regular cleanings and checkups left me facing a hefty bill later on when I needed a bunch of costly fillings. I was lucky that I didn’t need root canals or replacement teeth. Now I have a dental plan that covers free checkups twice a year, but even if you don’t, get to the dentist and doctor for health checks. It’s a lot better to pay a co-pay now than pay for major surgery later on. And worse still, it could even cost you your life, especially as so many conditions can be treated if they’re caught early enough.

Read on for more.

Taste Test: Brendan Brazier's Thrive Foods Direct

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:10:11 PST

A few months back, we spoke to Brendan Brazier about his latest book Thrive Foods: 200 Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health. Most recently, Brendan has developed Thrive Foods Direct, a food delivery service that offers fresh and organic meals that coincide with his nutritional philosophy. Whether you are looking to cleanse, feel clueless when it comes to plant-based cooking, or are traveling, the food delivery service offers whole, vegan, and nutritionally dense meals that are sent fresh to any home, office, or hotel in the United States.

The menu changes every week, and the recipes are straight out of Brendan's book. While it's on the expensive side, starting at $45 a day or $225 a week, these meals are organic, fresh, and delivered straight to your door. We were sent a few samples of the meals to taste for ourselves: keep reading to see what we thought of Brendan's latest food venture.

The Office, "Trivia": Best Lines of The Night

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:30:00 PST

In this week's episode of The Office, Oscar attends a trivia night contest in Philadelphia. Naturally, Andy decides that the whole office should get involved in the fun. Everyone shows up without telling Oscar and realizes instantly that they're at a gay bar. Their worries blow over pretty quickly and the office splits up into three teams: the "good timers," the "back-ups," and the "A-team." My heart broke for Kevin's initial lack of "self-awareness" on which team he was best suited for, but felt such a sense of accomplishment when he and the rest of the "good timers" (renamed The Einsteins) come out on top.

A great addition to this episode comes in the form of Dwight's separate storyline. After hearing that there's a managerial position open in Florida, he takes the initiative to travel down to speak to Robert California in person. He has some great one-liners and some hysterical interactions with Gabe, but unfortunately, it was not the saving grace of the episode. Overall, "Trivia" was all right, but definitely not my favorite of the season. I did love that Kevin had some quality moments - and surprisingly, the guy running trivia in Philly provided some of the funniest moments of the episode! To see the best lines, just keep reading.

J.J. Abrams Talks About Going to a New TV Island With Alcatraz

Shannon Vestal — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 16:40:26 PST

Lost alums J.J. Abrams and Jorge Garcia found themselves at TCA together again to promote the show they're collaborating on now: Alcatraz. Garcia stars with Sam Neill and Sarah Jones as a team of people trying to track down prisoners who disappeared from the famed prison over 50 years prior. Abrams and the actors talked about the genesis of the series, and the whole slate of mysterious characters.

Abrams talked about how he had been surprised to discover there had never been a TV series about Alcatraz when the show started taking shape. He also revealed that Garcia was the first person cast, and coincidentally, Garcia's girlfriend was writing a book about Alcatraz when Abrams brought it up to him. Abrams joked that Garcia simply said "Yeah, it's cool," when Abrams asked him if he wanted to be a part of the show. Garcia added, "If J.J. asks me to do anything, I say yes, and read second."
Neill lauded the creepy atmosphere of the island prison, saying that "just the name puts a shiver down my spine." It's the perfect place for a mystery series because "the charisma of that strange place has permeated the show." As for his character, an enigmatic government agent, Neill says "he does bad sh*t, but he does what's necessary."
Producers want to employ the rich mythology of The Rock, but Abrams lamented that the island's most famous prisoners, Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly, were transferred far before the '60s, the time frame the series flashes back to. It's "definitely a bummer they weren't there to time travel" like the other inmates we'll meet, but Abrams noted that since they're already doing flashbacks, "who's to say we can't flash back further?"
Though it's a procedural, showrunner Jennifer Johnson said Alcatraz is a unique crime show because the team has to think outside of the box to catch the returned prisoners, who are from a different time and haven't aged. "These guys are ghosts," she said, with "no credit cards, friends, or family members." Additionally, they have all committed "tremendous, heinous crimes," and they "have the same venom and urgency that they did before."

Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves Are Engaged!

Molly Goodson — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:14:13 PST

It was a very merry Christmas for the Alves-McConaughey family - Matthew and Camila are engaged! Matthew McConaughey apparently popped the question on Christmas Day, and he revealed the exciting news with this sweet kissing picture on his WhoSay account. Matthew wrote, "just asked Camila to marry me, Merry Christmas."

Camila and Matthew have two kids together: Levi, who is 3, and Vida, who is turning 2 next month. The foursome spend most of their time home in Malibu, but also often travel the world together, whether it's road tripping in their Airstream or visiting Camila's native Brazil. Congrats to the happy couple and whole family!

It's Time to Return to Middle Earth With The Hobbit Trailer!

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:33:07 PST

Christmas isn't even here yet, but we already have a 2012 holiday treat to look forward to in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Though that's 12 months off, the good news is that we have the first trailer right here! If you're expecting something of the same caliber as The Two Towers, you might be a little disappointed; this preview is low on action and high on introduction and backstory. We meet young Bilbo (Martin Freeman), who is just trying to live his hobbit life in Bag End when he's rudely interrupted by an adventure-seeking Gandalf (Ian McKellen). What follows is a quick introduction to his long list of travel companions, and then a brief glimpse at what's in store in the first part of the adventure.

As excited as I am for this movie, I can't help but feel a teensy bit underwhelmed by this trailer. The production value looks amazing of course, but I was hoping the preview would incite a little more excitement. That said, we've got a whole year to build up the hype, so in the meantime, watch the trailer after the jump.

Back From a Trip? Do These 3 Things

Michele Foley — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:31:19 PST

After an extended period of travel, it can be hard to get back into the swing of a day-to-day routine. Jet lag, post-vacation blues, and too many Mai Tais can make adjusting back to a healthy lifestyle an almost impossible task. Before letting yourself completely go, follow these three tips to get back on track after a vacation.

Revamp your eating habits: After being gone for a while, it's likely you're coming home to an empty fridge and bare cupboards. It may be inescapable to do anything but eat out while traveling, but it's important to break this daily habit upon your return. Once back home, sit down and plan out healthy meals for the week and then hit the grocery store to stock your kitchen with fresh, whole foods. To get you started, check out these healthy grocery shopping tips.
Make a workout schedule: Even if you were active when traveling, your fitness regimen was probably nowhere near the schedule you keep at home. (And if you're anything like me, vacations are for total relaxation.) Before the slack totally sinks in, recommit yourself to fitness shortly after you return. If the thought of hitting the treadmill makes you feel ill, follow these tips to find fitness motivation.
Keep the vacation going: The best part of vacation is the time it affords you to unwind, and just because you're back to the "real world" doesn't mean you can't keep that momentum going. Keep stress levels down by taking time for yourself and doing the things you did on vacation: unplug, relax, read, or make a point to do fun activities. Even when you're back in the office, there are still plenty of ways to reduce workday stress.