When I'm not immersed in my iTunes playlist, I'm usually playing with an App. Here are some of my new travel favorites that'll make your time on the road a little better:
Cost: FREE
This app will let you navigate the world of street food with ease, finding all the gourmet food trucks and carts you can handle with a simple touch of the screen. Roaming Hunger utilizes a mashup of Twitter and Google Maps to provide real-time location for your favorite gourmet food trucks and carts.
Features? Yeah, it's got 'em.
*Real time food truck location map so you can find food trucks
*Detailed food truck profiles
*Menus
*Food truck pictures (so you know what you're looking for)
Poynt
Cost: FREE
Cost: 0.99
Traveling to the Big Apple? If you want to take in a Broadway show, your best (and cheapest) way to get tickets is to check out the discou
nt ticket booth TKTS. You used to have to stand in long lines before you even knew what they had for sale - not anymore. The TKTS ticket buying experience is easier than ever thanks to the TKTS iPhone app that lets you know, in real-time, what shows are available at all three TKTS Discount Booths.
KAYAK
Hotel and Flight Search
Compares hundreds of travel sites at once and lets you find airfares and hotel prices quickly and easily. It's released a new version of the wildly popular and top rated travel app that features a completely redesigned user interface, also maximizing speed and reliability of search functions. The app continues to include free travel services including flight, hotel and car rental search, itinerary management and flight tracking, but has added some great new features:
*Language translation for 10 European languages including German, French, Italian and Spanish
*Car service search feature powered by Groundlink
Cost: FREE
One of the coolest iPhone apps around, WordLens visually translates foreign phrases. Just point your camera to a sign or menu, for example, and behold as the text instantly reappears in English. Though there's currently only a Spanish-English version, more language options are on the way.
Cost: FREE
GetJar
I thought the only place to get cool apps for my iPhone was Apple's App Store. Turns out I was wrong. A company called GetJar has a load of great apps for the iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and even Windows Mobile phones. You won't find these apps at the iPhone App store, but they're easy to get. Just use the browser on your phone and go to www.getjar.com. You'll see these Apps (and about 7,000 more) and you can download 'em straight to your phone - just like you'd do by going to Apple's Apps store.
Browse & book from over 100,000 hotels worldwide. Live rate availability, full-screen photos and secure, in-app booking make hotel reservations a breeze. It's the easiest way to reserve hotels for last-minute plans, cancelled flights and more. No hotel booking fees.
Cost: FREE
Provides weather information for worldwide locations, including current conditions, hourly forecasts, radar and satellite maps.
Cost: FREE
Use this app to discover great nearby places, get personalized recommendations on where to go next, save and share your favorite places, and find exclusive deals from local businesses!
Cost: FREE
Prepare your own Mexican quick fix with this Chipotle-inspired bowl. Carbs are moderated by filling the bowl with beans, extra veggies and chicken. No need for rice, since the beans count as carbs.
Tips:
If you love tomatoes, increase the quantity to 1/2 cup, but note that the carbohydrates will also increase.
If preparing this recipe for one person, cut all of the ingredients in half. Or simply prepare the full recipe up to the end of step 2 and store leftover chicken and vegetable-bean mixture in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on High for 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, and continue with step 3.
Health Bite: The iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc in black beans help to keep bones strong and healthy.
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