green living, smart spending
The Epic Hotel is the newest Green Seal certified four-star hotel in Miami. That’s just it’s latest award. It also has been named one of the top 25 hotels in the U. S. in 2011, and one of the trendiest. The Epic is part of the Kimpton chain, which operates boutique hotels under the
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Some people say it’s funny looking, but there’s nothing funny about the price of the 2011 Nissan Juke crossover — $19,570 MSRP for a model with the handline and perfomance of a sports car and the cargo space of an SUV. The 2011 Nissan Juke offers a sporty driving position and handling, thanks to a
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Price, fuel efficiency, US government safety ratings, depreciation and residual value, and warranty coverage all determine whether a vehicle is a good buy. NADA Guides, a top provider of vehicle information and pricing, scores hundreds of vehicles each model year to determine the Best Car Buys. Here’s the 2011 list for the most popular car
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Hotel prices and airline and cruise fares usually go up as the peak summer vacation months approach. But there are plenty of travel deals to book now to help you stretch your family travel budget for now through fall 2011. Cruise deals — Kids sail free on Norwegian Cruise Lines cruises through September 2011. The
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Zion Lodge, in Utah’s Zion National Park, has just received Green Seal certification for its environmental programs that protect the park’s ecosystem. The Green Seal certification is just the latest of many awards and honors the Zion Lodge has received for promoting sustainable eco-tourism and practices and environmental initiatives. The award recognizes efforts that include purchasing
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With gas prices approaching $4 a gallon in many states, interest and demand is increasing for fuel-efficient diesel vehicles, including certified pre-owned models from diesel leaders Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Volkswagen. The 2011 Mercedes E350 Bluetec has the highest demand among diesel vehicles on LeaseTrader.com, with search demand up 6.4 percent compared with January 2011.
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California B&Bs have gone green with a variety of innovative and eco-friendly practices, including using solar power and geothermal energy systems to reduce electric costs, and providing electric car charging stations for guests arriving in plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt, Nissan Leaf and Mini E. In Santa Cruz, The
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How appropriate that at the same time the Ford Motor Company is making headlines for producing green, energy efficient vehicles such as the Focus and Fiesta, a hotel named for company founder Henry Ford has earned a top rating from Green Lodging Michigan and the Michigan Dept. of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth. The hotel
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Spring skiing and snowboarding is the best time of the season to enjoy the slopes, especially this year, when the Rockies, Sierras and Canadian Rockies have been pounded with snow from a La Nina weather year. Spring skiing means sunshine until the lifts close, fewer layers to wear, and the biggest discount deals of the
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Fuel efficient, fun to drive, starting price of just $15,800. No wonder nearly half of all Mazda models sold in North America are the Mazda3, which has been racking up awards — the latest of which is as a “top safety pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), for achieving the highest crash
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