Alaska TravelGram

Okay. I’m not a big skin-care fan. But my wife and the kids really appreciate the lotions and potions that Janet Shafsky manufactures.

Called “Impressions by Janet”, Shafsky makes shampoos, moisturizing cream, lipstick, facial sponges, night creme and a host of other goodies. 

The girls love it.

She’s having a little sale. Visit her website: www.impressionsbyjanet.com

In the Skin Care section, she’s offering $5 off Ididacreme. This is the heavy-duty wilderness-grade moisturizer that musher DeeDee Jonrowe uses when she runs the 1,049 mile Iditarod Sled Dog Race between Anchorage and Nome.

Then there’s $5 off “Polar Lip Therapy”, plus you can receive a Free Jonrowe Blue Liquid Liner with any $25 Cosmetics purchase.Janet’s website is pretty cool–and you can order all the stuff online.

Still, I prefer to give it away. I stopped by Janet’s place earlier today to pick up a couple of sample packs for our readers. That’s YOU!

These sample packs include all sorts of goodies, including:

a. Daily Exfoliant

b. Hydrating Mist

c. Shampoo

d. Orange cleanser

e. Facial toner

f. Moisturizer

g. Night creme…and more!

Plus, the sample packs fit into a clear, plastic bag that is TSA-compliant.

ACK.

It’s the perfect travel package for a person on the go!

 Do you want to win a free sample pack?

 Here’s how to win:

a. Go to Janet’s website. Tell me the “real” name of her business. This is not a trick question!

b. Send me an email at: zoom@gci.net

c. Your entry must include: the right answer, your name, address and phone number.Janet’s special potions will help you stay hydrated on your trip to Alaska!

I cannot overstate how much I like the Sandpiper Cafe. It’s attached to my favorite hotel, the Driftwood Lodge. Um, ok. Maybe it’s really a “Motel”. It’s not as nice as the Goldbelt or the Baranof. But I like it. The staff is friendly and the rates are cheap. If you head down to Juneau during the Legislative session, you can get the “constituent rate” of $39. That leaves you plenty of money left over to have a nice scramble for breakfast at the Sandpiper next door. And both the Driftwood and the Sandpiper have free internet. That’s more than I can say about the Baranof. Of course, the Baranof caters to the Capital Crew–those that are peddling their influence with legislators. NOTE: The Baranof does have Suite 604–where Bill Allen held court bribing legislators. Whoo-boy. More importantly, they’ve got free wireless internet in the lobby. But in the rooms, they charge $10.50 per D-A-Y for the modem. How shall I say this: it’s s-o-o-o 20th century.

Back to the Sandpiper. We ate lunch there, too. A delicious BBQ Pork Sandwich. Nice presentation. Don’t miss it when you’re in Juneau. 

And if you do make it up to the Capitol Building, stop in to congratulate our Governor, Sarah Palin. She and her husband, Todd (aka: Alaska’s “First Dude”), are expecting their fifth child in May.

Photo: BBQ Sandwich at the Sandpiper Cafe

Check out these web specials. Pay special note to Fairbanks and Bethel. Right now (as in T-o-d-a-y) you can fly on Era up to Fairbanks for $139rt. And you can come back any day between now and Mar. 5. Suh-weet.
You remember Era, don’t you? In addition to convenient service to Valdez, Homer, Kenai, Cordova and Kodiak, they now fly to Fairbanks and Bethel.
The gate is just steps from the curb–and these web prices are g-r-e-a-t. 
The Bethel rate of $189 also is valid through Mar. 5. 
Here are some other great destinations:
Anchorage-Kodiak through Mar. 3: $149rt
Anchorage-Cordova through Mar. 3: $139rt
Anchorage-Kenai through Mar. 2: $79rt
Anchorage-Homer through Mar. 2: $129rt
Anchorage-Valdez through Mar. 3: $139rt
Check the website for the fly/stay and fly/drive packages!  

Free is one of my favorite words. Call me jaded and cynical–but that’s just how it is! That’s why I love the Great Alaskan TourSaver. Because when you buy the book for $99.95 (that’s where the money changes hands), you have more than 140 offers to bring your companion along for free. There’s more than $22,000 in travel offers where your companion goes F-R-E-E. Let’s be clear: this is one of those deals where it PAYS to know someone with a TourSaver book! HA!

Right up there next to “free” is “2-for-1″. That, I think, is my second-favorite phrase. Everything in the TourSaverbook is 2-for-1. For hotels, it means you pay the regular rate for the first night and you get the second night free. For cruises, it means you pay the original rate and your companion goes f-r-e-e. 

All the coolest things to do in Alaska are in the book, including:

a. Charter fishing in Seward, Kodiak and along the Kenai River.

b. Glacier cruises in Valdez, Wrangell, Whittier and Seward. 

c. Bear-viewing trips in Wrangell.

d. Denali flightseeing trips from Talkeetna (fixed wing) and Denali Park (rotor wing). Choose from glacier landings, summit flights or heli-hiking!

e. Hotels in Juneau, Wrangell, Skagway, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Seward, Valdez, Talkeetna, Copper Center, McCarthy and Whitehorse.

f. Rental cars in Anchorage, Juneau and Ketchikan.

g. Tram ride in downtown Juneau.

h. Wilderness Lodge at the edge of Gates of the Arctic National Park (Bettles Lodge).

i. Wilderness Lodge in Nikolski (week-long adventure!).

j. Alaska rail tours between Anchorage, Denali Park and Fairbanks.

k. Admission to Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Alaska Wilderness Conservation Center and Diamond Tooth Gertie’s! 

…much more.

Check the TourSaver.com site today and see all the great offers. You only have to use one coupon to get your money back. And the rest, they say, is free! Ah, my favorite word! Catch a big fat King Salmon on the Kenai River, just like my son, Drew. There are two coupons for 2-for-1 salmon charters in this year’s Great Alaskan TourSaver. By the way, we flew back to Anchorage after catching this fish and grilled it up on the BBQ t-h-a-t e-v-e-n-i-n-g. Yummmmm. 

Hot deals in mid-May!

One thing I’ve learned with air fare wars: grab ‘em when you see ‘em.

This is a great little skirmish that lasts for all of 11 days. You can thank Frontier Airlines, which is resuming service to Anchorage on May 9. The Denver-based airline launched a nationwide fare sale for travel through May 20. Trouble is they don’t start flying until May 9. So–take advantage of the great air fares between May 9 and May 20 only.

NOTE: best fares are on Tue., Wed. Sat. Plan accordingly. Following are “all-in” prices, including taxes and fees. You can fly on other days–for a few more bucks.

Have Jamie, Laura or one of the fine professionals at USTravel get seats for you. They’ll charge you an extra $38–but it’s worth it! Call (907)561-2434 or (800)544-2217. These fares are valid in either direction.

REMEMBER: these prices are “all-in” including all taxes and fees. USTravel’s $38 ticketing charge is additional.

Between Anchorage and:

Albuquerque  $452rt (Valid Tue/Wed/Sat May 10-20 only)

Atlanta $454rt

Billings $412rt

Chicago $454rt

Denver $313rt WHOA!!

Dallas $434rt

Detroit $443rt

El Paso $432rt

Houston $442rt

Indianapolis $442rt

Kansas City $392rt

Las Vegas $433rt

L.A. $393rt WHOA! 

Milwaukee, WI $442rt

Minneapolis $433rt

New York $433rt

Oklahoma City $433rt

Omaha $433rt

Phalidelphia $453rt

Phoenix $413rt

Sacramento, CA $433rt

St. Louis $453rt

Salt Lake City $352 rt WHOA!

San Antonio $453 rt

San Diego $411rt

San Francisco $411rt

San Jose, CA $411rt

Washington, DC $493rt

REMEMBER: These rates are valid Tue/Wed/Sat between May 9 and May 20. Travel on other days is available–for a few more bucks. I know–it’s a narrow window. FEAR NOT. There will be more sales–but take advantage of this one while it lasts.

WATCH FOR: Anchorage-Seattle web specials on Continental; Anchorage-Frankfurt specials on Condor, Anchorage-Fairbanks specials on Era Aviation!

WHICH AIRLINE? Almost all the airlines are playing on this sale. The trick is getting the seat. Let Jamie, Laura or one of the other agents at USTravel get the perfect reservations for you. They’ll charge you an extra $38–but you’ll save a bundle!

Speaking of airlines, did I mention that United is on my “s” list? So is USAir. Why? Because these two airlines will charge you $25 for your second checked bag. My, it’s dark down there at the bottom of the barrel, eh? 

Call USTravel at (907)561-2434 or (800)541-2434. 

Tell ‘em Scott sent you.

Fabulous! Alaska Airlines offers a special $232 roundtrip fare between Anchorage and Seattle. Depart Feb. 23 only. Return on Feb. 25 or Feb. 26 only. Essentially, Alaska is matching Continental’s web special.

This is great news for folks who want to fly to Seattle this weekend–and build miles on Alaska Airlines! 

The outbound flight from Anchorage is at 4pm, right around the time that Continental’s flight leaves (surprise, surprise).  The return flight leaves within 20 minutes of Continental’s flight back to Anchorage.

NOTE: These special weekender fares are valid in either direction. But you have to start your travel on Saturday, returning on Monday or Tuesday. Just this weekend, too. Depart Feb. 23 only. Return on Feb. 25 or Feb. 26 only.

But this is worth writing home about! 

Remember–if you buy one of these tickets from USTravel’s office on Tudor Rd., you get a FREE Seattle TourSaver  book, with $3,000 in 2-for-1 travel deals. It usually sells for $79.95.  Suh-weet! USTravel will assess a $38 ticketing fee. Ask them to help you with a rental car and hotel, too!

When you’re in Seattle, drive out to Woodinville to the Columbia Winery. The grounds are beautiful and the wine is tasty. With your Seattle TourSaver book, you get a 2-for-1 wine tasting!