Need to get away from everything for a while, but don’t know where to start?  Let these online travel sites be your guide to the perfect dream vacation.

1. Smarter Travel: Unknown compared to other sites like Priceline and Expedia, Smarter Travel helps you compare the deals of all the other travel sites according to your own specifications.  There are also unbelievable Sponsored Deals from Booking Buddy.
2. Wikitravel: Imagine a Wikipedia, but catered to the open-minded traveler.  You’ll find alerts, upcoming events around the world, and destination guides for almost any place imaginable.
3. Expedia: This travel reservation site was actually started by Microsoft, but it later went solo when it moved away from software technology.  Though it lacks Priceline’s William Shatner, Expedia is both easier to use and has more features, according to Top Ten Reviews.
4. Fodor’s: Notable for its long-running line of guides, the Fodor’s website offers synopses of the most important information for most destinations, along with hotel, restaurant, and cruise ideas.
5. Travel.state.gov:  This service is provided by the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the U.S. Department of State.  It’s focused on making travel fast and safe for citizens, with warnings and alerts along with passport and visa information. Continua »

The internet has changed the way we shop for everything, to the point where you can literally get crab cakes shipped across the country to you with just a few clicks.  No matter what your appetite, these are the 10 best sites for online shopping.

1. Amazon.com:  Amazon sells everybody else’s products at great deals, and also produces their own e-Reader, the mega-popular Kindle.
2. Overstock.com: This bargain shopping site has been running for over a decade.  While it still offers surplus inventories of other companies, it has expanded to sell new merchandise as well.
3. Wow Coupons: Wow Coupons doesn’t sell anything, but they offer free printable coupons that’ll save you big bucks at either retail stores or online sites.
4. eBay: This worldwide phenomenon offers deals on not only the best auctions on ordinary apparel, music, and movies, but also the only place to buy water drunk by Elvis or the town of Bridgeville, California.
5. Etsy: The best-known DIY-crafts site, Etsy offers unique and handmade goods by people just like you. Continua »

Thomas Carlyle once wrote, “Music is the speech of angels.”  If you want to hear what they’re saying, check out these music sites and let your listening pleasure soar.

1. Last.fm:  Founded in 2007, this radio streaming site lets you create your own profile and then keeps track of what you listen to on your iPod, iTunes, and other digital media devices.  Then, it recommends bands, songs, and free downloads.
2. Pitchfork:  Only people who really love music could be so harsh to it.  Read Pitchfork for well-written reviews putting down everybody’s favorite bands—and direction to some really good music you wouldn’t find any other way.
3. NPR Music:  NPR brings its elegant style to the music industry, showcase up-and-coming artists and featuring hours of archived concerts, podcasts, and regular programming.
4. YouTube Symphony Orchestra:  This experimental, interactive symphony called for musicians from all over the world to post a video of themselves playing a particular piece—“Internet Symphony No. 1 – Eroica” by Tan Dun.  The videos were voted on, and the best were compiled into a video performance.
5. eMusic:  The anti-Itunes, eMusic features largely independent artists (now with some major labels as well), no DRM-encoding, and an innovative pricing model in which you pay for a number of tracks rather than by song. Continua »

Don’t be caught unprepared when the next classic film comes out.  These sites put the power in your hands when it comes to planning your next movie night.

1. Internet Movie Database: The go-to reference site for movie fanatics, IMDB features searchable databases for films, actors, characters, production companies, and more.  Never wonder “Now what else was he in?” again.
2. Rotten Tomatoes: This critical aggregator provides media-friendly percentages and one-to-two sentence consensuses for any movie you can think of.  There’s even a TV version on the Current TV channel now.
3. Dark Horizons: This Australian film site originally started as a sci-fi movie fan site, but now it features most major upcoming films.  Check this for all the latest news on Justin Bieber’s concert movie, or Tarantino’s “Shadow” reboot.
4. Guardian Film:  The UK’s Guardian brings its fabled reputation to bear on the world of cinema, and American readers can get in on it here.
5. Entertainment Weekly:  America’s recognized mecca of all things pop-culture has an excellent website with reviews, industry news, and other factoids.  You can also catch up on TV, Music, and Book news too. Continua »

If your eyes are bigger than your stomach, we’ve got the perfect list for you.  These are the sites that will provide you with a gourmet online experience.

1. Epicurious: This site compiles recipes, restaurant reviews, and dining tips of all sorts, along with features from Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazines.  Their “Classic Summer Desserts” are to die for.
2. Food Network: Along with showing the delicious recipes from your favorite shows, Food Network’s website also compiles unique meal ideas, mixed drinks, and a Quick Meals search function to enhance your visit.
3. Chowhound: Chowhound is a message board for food lovers.  It’s now associated with Chow magazine, but it still features the same enthusiastic posters as ever.
4. The Cook’s Thesaurus: Perfect for foodie newbies, the thesaurus lets you look up both familiar and rare cooking terms, from ingredients to utensils.
5. Culinary Media Network: Located at GildedFork.com, you’ll instantly know what you’re getting into with this high-class food site.  Recipes, reviews, and travel guides are all available for the prospective gourmet. Continua »